Member Brief & Survey - Suicide Prevention Australia

 

Message from the CEO

Last week we launched our annual State of the Nation in Suicide Prevention survey, now in its seventh year. This survey gathers in-depth insights from our members and the broader suicide prevention sector to inform our clear, collective voice. With the lack of funding commitments for the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy in the latest Federal Budget, it is more important than ever to have your say. Your response will provide valuable feedback that will guide our advocacy efforts and inform our government relations as we go forward together. During National Reconciliation Week we shared our second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2026-2028. Our Innovate RAP represents the next step in our continuing journey towards reconciliation as an organisation. Our focus is to strengthen relationships, build trust, and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, knowledge and leadership are at the centre of our work. Through this Innovate RAP, we will continue to grow our cultural capability, and reflect on how we can contribute more effectively to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I encourage you to take a look at Suicide Prevention Australia's Innovate RAP 2026-2028. Warm regards,

Nieves Murray

State of the Nation in Suicide Prevention — Survey open! Take part in Suicide Prevention Australia's annual State of the Nation survey and help shape the future of suicide prevention. Your response will provide valuable feedback to guide our advocacy efforts and inform government relations. This will ensure that suicide prevention strategies are grounded in the realities faced by communities and service providers across Australia. We encourage anyone working in suicide prevention, mental health, or related sectors to participate and share with your networks using the Comms Toolkit. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and closes on Friday 3 July at 5pm AEST. Complete survey

NSPO Webinar — Release of the National Suicide Prevention Outcomes Framework: Outcomes Map Next Wednesday 24 June 2026 at 11am-12pm AEST, the National Suicide Prevention Office and the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, The Hon Emma McBride MP, are launching the National Suicide Prevention Outcomes Framework — Outcomes Map. Hear from expert partners in the development of the Outcomes Map including members of the NSPO Lived Experience Partnership Group and Advisory Board, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the University of New England (UNE). Register for this free webinar and share with your networks. Register now

State and Territory Budgets 2026-27 – TAS, SA, ACT Three more State and Territory Budgets have been released in the past month, with some additional funding included for suicide prevention.  Tasmania Budget 2026-27 — Detailed summary: Though the budget broadly focused on fiscal responsibility, it was a strong budget for a number for SPA members doing important suicide prevention work in Tasmanian communities. Members that received funding include: Lifeline Tasmania, Men's Table, Movember Foundation, Relationships Australia Tasmania, Youth Live4Life, Gidget Foundation and Rural Alive and Well Inc. South Australia Budget 2026-27 — Detailed summary: Budget measures did not directly link to suicide prevention, but implementation of Agency-based suicide prevention plans are in progress across Government. Our member Talk Out Loud received $100k over four years for a mental health shed to provide a safe space and encourage open, honest conversations and social connections. Australian Capital Territory Budget 2026-27 — Detailed summary: Although suicide prevention was not specifically mentioned in the Budget, adjacent areas that have an impact on distress and suicide outcomes received important support. The Budget included funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and significant investment in housing and domestic, family and sexual violence services. For full summaries of relevant funding announcements, head to our LinkedIn social posts. Read social posts

Our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2026-2028 As the national peak body for the suicide prevention sector, Suicide Prevention Australia has an important role to play in reconciliation. This starts with our commitment to listen to First Nations communities and organisations, learn from their insights and follow through with action. Our Innovate RAP represents the next step in our continuing journey to walk alongside communities and support suicide prevention approaches grounded in culture, connection and self-determination. A special thank you to Yorta Yorta artist, Lindon Dargin, for creating our Reconciliation Action Plan artwork, Strength and Courage. We also would like to acknowledge our RAP contributors — our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander RAP Working Group and External Advisory Group. Read our Innovate RAP

Community Tracker – Data Dashboard We are excited to launch our new Community Tracker Data Dashboard, designed to give you clear, real-time data on key questions from our regular Community Tracker with an intuitive, user-friendly interface. The data visualises results from two of our most recent surveys and provides breakdowns by age, gender, and state with regular updates scheduled after each survey. View dashboard

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Share the Spark Share the Spark is a free, community-led mentoring program supporting young people aged 8–24 across Sydney’s Northern Beaches who may be experiencing distress, disconnection, or suicide risk. Developed in response to local consultation identifying gaps in long-term, accessible youth support especially in the older and younger end of the spectrum, the program provides up to two years of one-to-one mentoring with trained, relatable mentors, with no barriers to entry. Co-designed alongside young people, families, and lived experience stakeholders, Share the Spark focuses on building resilience, hope, purpose, and social connection — key protective factors known to reduce suicide risk and strengthen communities. Through a clear program logic framework, mentoring activities are linked to measurable outcomes for young people and broader community impact. By embedding the program within local networks and aligning with state and national suicide prevention strategies, Share the Spark is creating a scalable, preventative model with national potential. The program currently has capacity to welcome new referrals and encourages connections from young people, families, schools, and community services seeking additional support. Learn more

Congratulations Jo Riley OAM – King's Birthday Honours COORDINARE’s Jo Riley, Manager of Social Impact and Engagement, has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List for her service to suicide prevention advocacy. The honour recognises Ms Riley’s longstanding commitment to supporting people experiencing emotional distress and her leadership in advocating for meaningful change across the community and health sectors. Throughout her career, she has championed approaches that prioritise connection, compassion and the inclusion of lived experience. Learn more

Research grants and accreditation opportunities

National Suicide Prevention Research Fund – Applications still open The latest round of the national Suicide Prevention Research Fund (SPRF), supported by the Australian Government, is still open! These funding opportunities are designed to support innovative, high-quality research that contributes to meaningful advances in suicide prevention across Australia. We encourage researchers, practitioners, and emerging leaders to apply for this funding round. Applications close Tuesday 23rd June. Apply now Suicide Prevention Australia Accreditation Program The Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program can support your organisation to implement safe, high‑quality, and effective suicide prevention and postvention programs in Australia. Governed by the Suicide Prevention Australia Standards for Quality Improvement, registering for accreditation demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to best practice and continuous quality improvement, supporting and strengthening the vital work you already do. Learn more and register

Default information sharing from Online Prescribing Services to My Health Record      Following recent legislative reforms, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is looking for feedback on new ‘Share by Default’ requirements regarding patient's medicines information to My Health Record, focusing on online prescribing services.   The Department wants to know how this information should be shared, what online services should be included, and the impact of this initiative on people, healthcare providers and the healthcare system. To learn more and provide feedback, head to the website. Learn more National Suicide Prevention Conference (NSPC26) photo album We have shared some of the best photos from our National Suicide Prevention Conference 2026 in Sydney in late April. Head to the NSPC26 website to look through our photos and highlights from the conference week. See photos