Suicide Prevention in
New ZealandSuicide Prevention Initiatives
New Zealand has a broad range of initiatives underway contributing to suicide prevention and there are many people with expertise and commitment working across the country. Below is a snapshot of some current suicide prevention initiatives:
National Depression Initiative
Increasing community understanding about depression and encouraging help-seeking, appropriate treatment and recovery through the National Depression Initiative, www.depression.org.nz and the Lowdown website (www.thelowdown.co.nz).
Primary health care and general practice
Improving the responsiveness of primary health care and general practice to people with depression and other common mental health problems. New best practice guidelines have been developed and primary mental health initiatives will be established in all 80 primary health organisations (PHOs) by early 2009 that provide a range of approaches such as primary mental health coordinators, longer GP or practice nurse consultation times and brief psychosocial interventions such as talking therapies.
View the best practice guidelines on the New Zealand Guidelines Group website - Identification of Common Mental Disorders and Management of Depression in Primary Care (www.nzgg.org.nz).
View information on primary mental health initiatives.
Suicide prevention guidelines for emergency departments
Improving the care and follow-up of people who have made a suicide attempt by implementing suicide prevention guidelines for emergency departments and mental health services.
View information on the New Zealand Guidelines Group's self-harm and suicide prevention implementation project (www.nzgg.org.nz).
Child Youth and Family (CYF)
Reducing the risk of suicide for young people in Child Youth and Family (CYF) care through comprehensive risk screening and management planning ("Towards Wellbeing Project")
Postvention Support Initiative
Supporting families, friends and communities following a suicide through the Postvention Support Initiative. This is a comprehensive package of services that provide support for people who have been bereaved by suicide of a friend or family/whānau member.
View more information on the Postvention Support Initiative.
This service is delivered jointly by:
DHB suicide prevention coordinators
Improving co-ordination of suicide prevention activities within district health board regions by piloting new suicide prevention coordinator positions in five district health boards (Auckland, Lakes, Counties Manukau, Wairarapa, and Nelson Marlborough).
Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand
Providing information about safe and effective suicide prevention activities through Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (www.spinz.org.nz).
Kia Piki te Ora - Māori communities
Addressing suicidal behaviour in Māori communities through the Kia Piki te Ora community development initiatives
Travellers - secondary school programme
Building resilience and enhancing connections for young people in their first year of secondary school with the group programme Travellers. The programme is available to participating schools for young people who move schools frequently, have low self esteem, or have been experiencing emotional distress or stressful life-changing events.
View more information on the Travellers Programme (www.travellers.org.nz).
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
Equipping people for ‘suicide first-aid’ with the two-day skills-based workshop ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). The focus of ASIST workshops is on increasing carers' ability to promote the immediate safety of someone who may be at risk of suicide and link them to appropriate professional services.
View more information on the ASIST workshops (www.livingworks.org.nz).
Suicide and the Media
Supporting media to report and portray suicide in a safe way with Suicide and the Media - The reporting and portrayal of suicide in the media - a resource.
Suicide/self-harm risks of prisoners
Assessing the suicide/self-harm risks of prisoners, and their mental health and addiction needs, when they first enter prison and at critical points throughout their sentences. Prison Services are about to undertake a full review of the way prisoners at risk of suicide are managed.
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