Ministerial Council on Suicide Prevention Western Australia Mental Health Commission Country Resources Mental Health Strategies and Plans Western Australia 15 May 2015 Policy document

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Suicide Prevention 2020: Together we can save lives, aims to reduce the number of suicides in Western Australia’s by 50 per cent over the next decade.

Suicide Prevention 2020 is strongly evidence based and is informed by the latest research and the recommendations from recent reviews completed by Edith Cowan University, the Western Australian Ombudsman, and the Western Australian Auditor General.

It seeks to balance investment in community awareness and stigma reduction, mental health and suicide prevention training and coordinated services for high risk groups.

It recognises that the biggest risk factor for suicide and self-harm is having a mental illness and a previous suicide attempt. We also know that young people, Aboriginal people and people who have alcohol or other drug problems are also at greater risk of suicide than the general population; and Suicide Prevention 2020 targets these groups through specific initiatives.

There are six key action areas.
1- Greater public awareness and united action across the community.
2- Local support and community prevention across the lifespan.
3- Coordinated and targeted responses for high risk groups.
4- Shared responsibility across government, private and non-government sectors to build mentally healthy workplaces.
5- Increased suicide prevention training.
6- Timely data and evidence to improve responses and services

The State Government has committed $26 million over four years to implement initiatives and programs aligned with the six key action areas.

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