Suicide Prevention Australia

 

Message from the CEO

Since the release last month of the Productivity Commission’s interim report on the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, we’ve been analysing its findings and discussing these with the sector. It’s heartening to see that so many of the recommendations strongly align with the feedback provided by us and our members. We particularly welcomed their recommendations that a new National Agreement be developed that better meets our communities’ needs, is guided by the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, has lived experience embedded in it and encompasses a whole-of-government approach to suicide prevention. By cutting across different policy areas (such as health, housing, education, employment and more) and being co-designed by people with lived experience of suicide, this system would deliver the coordinated, measurable and impacts-driven action needed to address our growing levels of suicide and distress. We will soon be releasing a paper on strengthening the suicide prevention workforce that will help to fill a gap in the interim report – consideration of the issues facing our workforce that need to be addressed to ensure that services are equipped to respond to current and emerging opportunities. We will be engaging with the Commission further and encourage all our members to contribute to the public submissions process, and to reach out to us with any issues they would like to see put to the Commission. Thank you for your ongoing support, Christopher Stone, Acting CEO

World Suicide Prevention Day - Share your events Are you hosting a World Suicide Prevention Day event? We'd love to hear from you! This year's theme, Change the Narrative, aims to inspire individuals, communities, organisations and governments to engage in open and honest discussions about suicide and suicidal behaviour. By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness and create better cultures of understanding and support. If you have an event planned, please add this to our Events Calendar or send an email to events@suicidepreventionaust.org

Check out our new Member Directory Our Member Directory is officially up and running. The directory helps members and others in the sector easily find each other and connect, strengthening community ties. Please take the time to review your listing and if you spot anything that needs updating, send your changes or additions to our membership team via email membership@suicidepreventionaust.org. Thank you for helping us keep connected.

Member Spotlight - Quest for Life Foundation  Creating Safe Spaces for Healing  At Quest for Life, we offer trauma-informed, holistic programs that support people facing grief, trauma, illness, chronic stress and burnout. Our evidence-based five-day retreats – Healing Your Life and Moving Beyond Trauma – are accredited by Suicide Prevention Australia and grounded in neuroscience, offering practical tools for emotional healing and resilience. We also offer gender-specific programs: Women’s Moving Beyond Trauma: For women healing from abuse, assault or domestic violence. The Heard Man: A safe, respectful space for men to explore their wellbeing. New in August: Beyond Burnout A two-day program for those impacted by workplace stress and emotional exhaustion. Learn science-backed strategies to restore balance and reconnect with what matters most. All programs are held at our peaceful Bundanoon centre in NSW, surrounded by bushland. Financial assistance is available. Learn more

Community Tracker Report We recently released our latest Community Tracker which revealed a shift in suicide risk factors across Australia. While economic distress appears to be easing slightly, social challenges are intensifying with loneliness and relationship breakdowns now among the top drivers of distress.   Read the full findings in our report and media release.

Helping Suicide Prevention Australia Members Access Grants Suicide Prevention Australia is committed to supporting our members in accessing funding to sustain and grow their suicide prevention initiatives. That’s why we’ve partnered with GrantGuru, Australia’s most comprehensive grant database, to help you find funding opportunities meet your needs. Find out more