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Hobart, Australia: Lee-Ann Foord was tonight recognised with a LiFE Award for excellence in suicide prevention at the 2015 National Suicide Prevention Conference.
“As a founding member of the unique to Australia ‘suicide attempt survivors’ group, Eclipse,
[Lee-Ann] is paving the way for a new and innovative positive change in the suicide prevention sector”
Catherine Vaara, CEO
Lifeline Mid Coast
Lee-Ann Foord is Lifeline Mid Coast's Life Matters Coordinator. Her focus is divided between education, support and community engagement.
“Lee-Ann doesn’t expect any recognition for what she does, she does it because she is passionate about it. I am honoured and proud to have her in my network of professional piers because it’s not often you get someone like Lee-Ann working so hard in a community for the community.”
Nicole de Vulder, Art4Recovery Manager
Creatability
Lee-Ann has extensive engagement in the sector including the following activities:
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Presenting Applied Suicide Skills Intervention Training (ASIST) and safeTALK workshops to both community members and Lifeline Mid Coast's Telephone Crisis
Supporters.
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Facilitates bereavement support through one on one meetings and as the facilitator of suicide bereavement support groups.
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Chair of the Port Macquarie Hastings Suicide Prevention Network.
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Steering Committee member of StandBy Response Service NSW North Coast and member of the StandBy Response Advisory Board.
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She was instrumental in establishing a partnership with Lifeline Research Foundation, to establish a support group for those who have attempted suicide named "Eclipse".
“Over the last 18 years Lee-Ann has used her energy for raising awareness of suicide prevention … She is always looking at ways to break down the stigma associated with suicide, build individual resilience and encourage social connectivity.”
Lisa Willows, Marketing
Lifeline Mid Coast
The annual LiFE Awards recognise excellence in suicide prevention across six different categories including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Workplace, Media, Community
Engagement, Community Development and Research. This year a LiFEtime Achievement
Award is also being awarded for a significant contribution to suicide prevention.

They were presented as part of the 2015 National Suicide Prevention Conference in Hobart.
Australia’s leading suicide prevention sector event provides a platform for more than 350 delegates to share in the latest research, policy and practice with a focus on delivering better outcomes for vulnerable communities.
2015 LiFE Award Recipients:
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Workplace: NSW Police Force Mental Health Intervention Team
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander: Julie Turner
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Community Development (Organisation): Living Proud WA
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Community Development (Individual): Lee-Ann Foord
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Community Engagement: Brian McErlean
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Media: ABC Mental As
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Research: NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention (CRESP)
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LiFEtime Achievement Award: Professor Diego de Leo
ENDS
Media Contact: Kim Borrowdale, Suicide Prevention Australia
0409 149099 / 02 9262 1130 / kimb@suicidepreventionaust.org
About Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA): SPA provides national leadership for the suicide prevention sector in Australia. SPA works collaboratively to develop a community that knows how to ask for help and how to give help. As the lead agency of the National Coalition for
Suicide Prevention, we build and facilitate partnerships to reduce the stigma around mental illness and suicide, and to assist the healing for people with lived experience of suicide attempts and suicide. www.suicidepreventionaust.org
About the Annual Suicide Prevention Conference: The Annual National Suicide Prevention
Conference is the premier, multidisciplinary, educational event in the suicide prevention sector. The Conference provides a platform for the exchange of ideas to help achieve our agenda of halving suicides in Australia over the next ten years. This year the focus will be on the intersection of suicide prevention research, policy, practice and lived experience. www.suicidepreventionaust.org/conferences
Talking about suicide in the media: A reminder of the Mindframe Media guidelines - http://www.mindframe-media.info/ - and http:// www.conversationsmatter.com.au
for tips on how to talk safely and constructively about suicide.
Crisis support information
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Lifeline 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp
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Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
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Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 www.kidshelp.com.au
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MensLine 1300 78 99 78 www.mensline.org.au