Pittwater Life November 2018 Issue

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Journey toward
‘Zero Suicides’
People in distress and
communities impacted by
suicide or associated mental
health challenges will have
more support than ever before.
The government recently
announced $90 million to
deliver new suicide prevention
initiatives and better coordination
between the various support
providers and agencies to
ensure no-one slips through
the cracks.
NSW Health Minister Brad
Hazzard said communities
at high risk of suicide would
benefit from eight new or
expanded initiatives from next
year including:
n New support services for
people bereaved by suicide
– to prevent ‘clusters’ of
further suicides, especially
among young people;
n Resilience building within
local communities – engage
communities to participate
in suicide prevention;
n Improved after care services
– ensuring all people who
have been admitted to
hospital following a suicide
attempt have access to follow
up care and support;
n Alternatives to presenting to
the Emergency Department
if in distress;
n Programs to eliminate
suicide attempts by people
in care;
n Expanded community mental
health outreach teams;
n Additional counsellors for
people in regional and rural
areas; and
n Improved data collection
and distribution.
What kind of support
do local parents want?
Most parents will manage the
grief associated with extraordinary
loss through their usual
support networks.
Others may need a little
extra assistance.
With this in mind, a small
committee of dedicated local
services including The Avalon
Youth Hub, The Burdekin Association,
Mission Australia,
CatholiCare, Lifeline, Headspace,
and Family Drug Support
has been formed.
The committee wants to
plan a range of support options
for those parents who
might benefit from some additional
help explained Emerick
Kovacs from the Avalon Youth
Hub.
And the committee needs
your help encouraging parents
to complete a brief electronic
survey.
“In the interest of ensuring
that support options are
a good fit with what parents
believe they would find most
helpful, the committee is
keen to canvass the ideas of
parents,” Mr Kovacs said.
“Local services are very confident
that with the views and
input from parents, a range of
relevant support options will
be made available.”
The survey can be found on
The Avalon Youth Hub website
at avalonyouthhub.org.au
(click on the ‘Community
Outreach’ and then ‘Family
Support’ tabs and follow the
‘survey monkey’ link) or go to
the Hub’s Facebook page.
* If you or someone you
know needs crisis support
call Lifeline 13 11 14,
MensLine Australia 1300 78
99 78, or Kids Helpline 1800
55 1800. For support and
information services phone
the NSW Mental Health Line
on 1800 011 511. – LO
46 NOVEMBER 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991