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Mental health & well being

What is the National Suicide Prevention Strategy?
Why is this important?
Who will benefit?
How does it work?
What funding is attached to the National Suicide Prevention Strategy?
Further information

What is the National Suicide Prevention Strategy?

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) is a major activity for the Mental Health Early Intervention and Prevention Branch in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA). It provides the platform for Australia’s national policy on suicide prevention with an emphasis on promotion, prevention and early intervention for mental health.

In 1995, Australia was one of the first countries to establish a specific national suicide prevention strategy when DoHA initiated “Here for Life” which focused on young people at higher risk of suicide. This brief expanded with the launch of the NSPS in 1999, as a growing body of evidence reflected concern for the risk of suicidal behaviours developing across the whole-of-life span.

The main objectives of the NSPS are to:

• Improve the evidence base and understanding of suicide prevention
• Build individual resilience and the capacity for self-help
• Improve community strength, resilience and capacity in suicide prevention
• Take a coordinated approach to suicide prevention
• Provide targeted suicide prevention activities
• Implement standards and quality in suicide prevention

The NSPS has four key inter-related components:

1. The Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) Framework, which sets an overarching evidence based strategic policy framework for suicide prevention in Australia;
2. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy Action Framework, which provides a time limited workplan for taking forward suicide prevention investment and leverage;
3. The National Suicide Prevention Program (NSPP) is the Australian Government funding program dedicated to suicide prevention activities. The funding allocation covers two streams of activities:
4. Mechanisms to promote alignment with and enhance state and territory suicide prevention activities.

Why is this important?

Over 2,100 Australians take their own lives every year with impacts on families, friends, workplaces and communities.

People from all ages and from all walks of life in Australia take their own life and the causes often appear to be a complex mix of:

• adverse life events,
• mental and physical health,
• social and geographical isolation,
• cultural and family background,
• socio-economic disadvantage,
• genetic makeup
• the extent of support of family and friends, and
• the ability of a person to manage life events and bounce back from adversity.

In 2009, the most recent year for which mortality data are available, there were 2,132 registered deaths from suicide representing an overall rate of 9.6 per 100,000. Suicide accounts for approximately 1.5% of all deaths in Australia.

The rates of suicide in Australia have fallen consistently since a peak in 1997 when 2,720 suicide deaths were registered.

Male suicides continue to outnumber female suicides, accounting for 76.6% of all suicide deaths in 2009.

Rates of suicide remain generally high (above 20 deaths per 100,000 population) among males in their 30s and 40s.

The 2009 age-specific death rate for those males aged 85 years and over was the highest at 28.2 per 100,000 population, however suicide deaths were a relatively low proportion of total deaths (0.2%) in this age group due to the relatively small population.

While the 2009 age-specific death rate for young males aged 15-19 years (9.3 per 100,000) was the lowest for men overall, it is still accounting for a very high proportion of deaths among young males.

Statistics taken from: 3303.0 - Suicides, Australia, 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics.

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Who will benefit?

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy promotes suicide prevention activities across the Australian population as well as for specific at-risk groups. Some of the groups of individuals targeted under the Strategy include:

• People in rural and remote areas

Economic and financial hardship, social isolation and reduced access to support services all contribute to an increased risk of suicide in rural and remote areas.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Intentional self-harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples is four times as high compared with non-Indigenous young people.

• Men

In 2009, over 75% of people who took their own lives in Australia were male.

• Youth

Whilst the rate of youth suicide appears to have declined as a proportion of total suicides over recent years, there is continuing concern about the vulnerability of young people.

• People bereaved by suicide

Individuals and families bereaved by suicide need special support, and are at higher risk of suicide themselves.

• People who have self-harmed or attempted suicide.

A significant number of people who have taken their own lives have previously carried out an act of self-injury.

What will the National Suicide Prevention Strategy deliver?

The goal of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is to reduce deaths by suicide across the population and among at risk groups, and reduce suicidal behaviour. To inform and support this goal, the Australian Government is working together with communities across Australia to build resilience, resourcefulness and social connectedness in people, families and communities to protect against the risk factors for suicide.

The National Suicide Prevention Program supports national and community based initiatives and projects that enhance the capacity of individuals and services to access information and provide support and training on suicide prevention. These projects also aim to increase the number of individuals seeking help regarding their emotional and social wellbeing and increase the identification, referral and treatment of at risk individuals by service systems and professionals.

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How does it work?

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy has four key inter-related components:

1. The Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) Framework, which sets an overarching evidence based strategic policy framework for suicide prevention in Australia;
   
   The framework provides a strategic plan for national action to prevent suicide and promote mental health and resilience across the Australian population. In addition, it provides a practical suite of resources and research findings on how to address the complex issues of suicide and suicide prevention.
   
   The Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council also provides a forum for expert service providers, researchers and clinicians to share expertise, contribute to national decision-making processes and to identify community needs and priorities for the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. More information can be found at www.livingisforeveryone.com.au
   
2. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy Action Framework, which provides a time limited workplan for taking forward suicide prevention investment and leverage;
   
   The Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council has, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Ageing, developed the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Action Framework to guide the Australian Government’s strategic directions and priorities in suicide prevention and self–harm for the period 2009–2011.
   
   The Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council and the Department of Health and Ageing work together through the implementation of the Action Framework to provide national leadership in suicide prevention activity and policy.
   
   The Action Framework describes the activities to be undertaken by the Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council and the Department of Health and Ageing to June 2011 to progress the Australian Government’s suicide prevention efforts.
   
   It has two primary purposes:
• To help the Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council plan and manage the provision of confidential advice to the Australian Government through the Minister for Health and Ageing on strategic directions and priorities in relation to suicide prevention and self–harm; and
• To help the Department of Health and Ageing plan and manage the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Program for 2009–10 to 2010–11.


3. The National Suicide Prevention Program (NSPP) is the Australian Government funding program dedicated to suicide prevention activities. The funding allocation covers two streams of activities:


• Community-based Projects impacting on issues at a local level; and
• National investment largely taking a population health approach and supporting infrastructure and research.
  
  Each stream incorporates activities across the continuum of suicide prevention supporting:
  
• Universal interventions which aim to engage the whole of a population to reduce access to means, reduce inappropriate media coverage of suicide and to foster stronger and more supportive communities and schools. For example, the LifeForce Suicide Prevention Training Program provides training to local leaders in urban and regional communities nationally, LIFE Communications provides a central hub for suicide prevention resources, Mindframe and StigmaWatch carry out media monitoring for responsible reporting.
• Selective interventions which aim to work with groups and communities who are identified as being at higher risk of suicide. For example, the Mental Health Support in the Family Court of Australia Project provides training for staff in contact with people whose circumstances may increase their risk factors.
• Indicated interventions which target individuals who are showing signs of symptoms that are strongly associated with suicide or are in circumstances that place them at highest risk of suicide. For example, telephone and peer support networks for those recently discharged following a suicide attempt; and Access To Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) Suicide Prevention project which links those at identified risk of suicide or self harm with psychological support services within 24 hours.


4. Mechanisms to promote alignment with and enhance state and territory suicide prevention activities, particularly to progress the relevant actions of related national frameworks, such as the COAG National Action Plan for Mental Health 2006–2011 and the Fourth National Mental Health Plan 2009–14.

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What funding is attached to the National Suicide Prevention Strategy?

The total funding attached to the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is $134.4 million from 2007-08 to 2012-13.

Further information

Living is For Everyone – www.livingisforeveryone.com.au

National Suicide Prevention Strategies: A comparison - Summary of Australian and international strategies by the University of Queensland (PDF 843 KB)

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Page currency, Latest update: 17 August, 2011