CCDE Annual Report 2012 - The Centre for Child Development ...

Research Highlights
Suicide Prevention Research
Of all Australian states and territories, the Northern Territory has the
highest overall rate of suicide, with very high rates of suicide among the
Indigenous population. The Suicide Prevention Research Program has
grown rapidly. Its aim is to provide a comprehensive research response
to the urgent problems of suicide and self-harm in NT communities,
and to have an impact on policy and on the development of suicide
prevention strategies. Promoting early intervention and prevention,
which targets the life course determinants of vulnerability to suicide from
early childhood through to young adulthood, is a particular focus.
A research team led by researchers from Menzies’ CCDE recently conducted
national consultations in each state and territory on behalf of the
Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to develop
a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention
Strategy. A report and a draft of the National Strategy are now with the
department, and a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide
Prevention Strategy will be released for implementation in 2013.
The Centre won a $615,000 DoHA tender in June 2012 to conduct a systematic
review of the available literature, prepare and publish two discussion
papers, and undertake a national consultation process supported by the
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (NAACHO).
This involved the centre developing a consultation website and convening
and facilitating consultation forums in all capital cities and several regional
centres attended by over 500 people. An initial draft of a proposed
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy
was then prepared and reviewed at a one day national stakeholder
forum in Canberra. Following DoHA approval the National Strategy was
launched jointly by the Federal Minister for Health (Hon Mark Butler) and
the Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Hon Warren Snowdon) with an
announcement of $17.8 million of new funding for its implementation over
three years, including the establishment of a national centre of excellence
to support community-based Indigenous suicide prevention initiatives.
Projects include:
1. A Study of Suicide Deaths of NT Children from 2006-2010,
commissioned by the NT Government’s Child Deaths Review
and Prevention Committee, completed in January 2012
2. A study of medically serious self-harm in NT hospitals (funded by
beyondblue inc. and the NT Department of Health, 2013-2014)
3. Evaluating the ‘Counterpunch Program’, a sports (boxing)-based
suicide prevention initiative for disengaged secondary school students
(funded by the Mental Health Branch of the NT Department of Health)
4. Investigation of the early life determinants of suicide and self-harm
and the development of effective early intervention strategies
5. Effective early intervention for secondary school aged
youth through the development of life skills and support
during the transition from school to work.
Annual Report 2012
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