Suicide Prevention Australia - Continuing improvement in suicide prevention

CHAIRPERSON

Dr Michael Dudley

Staff Specialist, Child Psychiatrist - Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Prince of Wales Hospital

Role: The Chairperson is responsible for:

• convening and chairing of Board of Management Meetings, including any Special Meetings
• ensuring that Meeting arrangements and procedures promote involvement by all members
• ensuring decision making processes are consistent with the principles of good governance, with relevant legal and funding provisions as well as the organisation's policies and values
• regular monitoring of compliance with the organisation's policies, including annual reviews
• oversight of industrial relations issues associated with the employment of Association staff

Bio

Dr Michael John Dudley is Senior Staff Specialist in Psychiatry at Prince of Wales and Sydney Children’s Hospitals, and is Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at University of New South Wales. Michael has long-standing clinical, public health and research interest in suicide, self-harm and depression in young people, and he chairs Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA).

He is co-chief investigator in NHMRC funded (2004-2008) case-control studies of risk and protective factors for suicide and attempted suicide in metropolitan and rural young people aged 18-34 years. He has co-investigated organisational and community responses to suicide prevention as part of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. For SPA, he initiated and co-produced the ‘Closing the Gap’ report (a conversation between researchers and practitioners, with recommendations concerning the National Suicide Prevention Strategy); and jointly established the SPA LiFE awards for outstanding contributions in suicide prevention.

He is also involved in refugee mental health clinical work, teaching, research and advocacy and is co-editing a book on Mental Health and Human Rights for Oxford University Press. Dr Dudley has also been an outspoken advocate against refugees in detention in Australia.

VICE CHAIRPERSON

Caroline Aebersold

Caroline is the current Chief Executive Officer of The Song Room.

She has a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) and BA Honours (Psychology). In the past she has worked for Crisis Support Services Inc. and the Family Court of Australia.

NATIONAL SECRETARY

Alan Staines OAM

Role: The Secretary is responsible for ensuring that:

• minutes provide an accurate and complete record of all Board of Management meetings
• any correspondence to and from SPA is appropriately acted upon
• the register of SPA members is kept current and available for public inspection
• non financial reporting requirements to funding bodies, statutory or regulators are met
• ensure that all reporting under NSW legislation, including lodgement of an Annual Return
• Members of the Board of Management are provided with reliable, timely communication on matters of import to the organisation

Bio

Alan has been actively involved in suicide prevention programs in Australia since commencing Salvo Care Line (24 hour phone counseling service) in 1983 and subsequent attendance at the AAS / IASP Suicide Prevention Conference in San Francisco in 1987.

Alan was involved in setting up the Salvation Army OASIS Youth Care Centre in Surry Hills and the establishment of Carols in the Domain, fundraiser for the OASIS Centre. In 1991 Alan established the National Youth Foundation bringing together professionals in the field to Suicidology to form a national organisation in suicide prevention.

In 1993 Alan successfully obtained Commonwealth Government funds to establish a National Office for National Youth Foundation from which 3 staff were employed to develop suicide prevention programs of training and awareness nationally. Since 1987 Alan has been a member of the American Association or Suicidology, regularly attending conferences in the USA. He is a member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention representing SPA.

Alan was a member of the steering committee with Dr Michael Dudley and others which successfully integrated the Australian Association of Suicide Prevention and the National Youth Foundation to form Suicide Prevention Australia. Alan has been National Secretary for SPA since its formation with additional responsibilities for many years as conference convener / organiser.

In 2003 Alan received Order of Australia for services to young people through Suicide Prevention Australia and the Salvation Army. In 2004 Alan was honored with life membership to Suicide Prevention Australia.

TREASURER

Sandi Lockwood

Sandi has been an accountant for over 20 years and a Principal Tax Accountant in her own practice since 2000.

She recently merged her practice with a larger practice known as Dulwich Accounting Services Pty Ltd trading as Johnston Grocke. She is a Fellow of the National Institute of Accountants and a Fellow of the Institute of Taxation and currently completing a Masters Degree in Commerce .

Sandi is passionate about raising money for Youth at Risk and the Bereaved Through Suicide Support Group by way of fund raising functions called Christmas in July. Sandi, along with a team of very dedicated people have held three very successful events to date and getting ready for a fourth.

Sandi has started working on a model to form a Foundation for Youth at Risk, with a view to providing support for youth and their parents. She sat on the Board of Directors for Product Inc.as the Treasurer two years ago in Adelaide and currently she is a Committee Member for the Bereaved Through Suicide Support Group.

Sandi's son, Mark, took his own life and she supports any initiative to assist youth at risk and hopes to bring some value to SPA.

Ordinary Board Member

Professor Diego De Leo

Professor De Leo is Professor of Psychopathology and Suicidology and Director of the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention at Griffith University, Brisbane.

He also is currently on the National Advisory Council on Suicide Prevention. Prof. De Leo is Past President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and Past President of the International Academy for Suicide Research. Member of the Editorial boards for several internationally renowned refereed journals.

Prof. De Leo has published extensively with 160 refereed journal articles, 120 book chapters, and 25 books published in the past 20 years and over 100 conference presentations in total.

Winner of 6 international awards, in 1997 was appointed Director of the first WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Suicide Prevention.

Ordinary Board Member

Jill Chapman

Jill is the facilitator of the Bereaved Through Suicide Support Group in Adelaide. Her 16 year old son Michael suicided in August 2001.

She is also a funeral celebrant and runs the Star Bear Program (a grief support service for children.) She also has a son John and two grandsons.

Ordinary Board Member

Keith Todd

Keith Todd is Executive Director of OzHelp Foundation.

In 2002 Keith joined the Oz Help Foundation as field officer and was appointed Executive Director of the Foundation in 2003. The OzHelp Foundation is a work based suicide prevention, early intervention and social capacity building program.

Under Keith’s direction the program has become an award winning and accredited program in the ACT. The ACT office was recently funded by the National Suicide prevention strategy to expand to the utilities industry and into regional New South Wales.

A further strengthening to the ACT operation has been the addition of a community arm with the VYNE Program (Australian Capital Territory’s education and training program in suicide awareness and prevention) now coming under Keith’s leadership.

OzHelp Foundation won the Industry Category for the LiFe Awards in 2005.

Sam Strecker

Co-ordinator, Service Co-ordination Team, Disability Services South (Consumer Representative)

Sam lost her son Daniel Linklater to suicide in 2001 as a result of a marriage break up. Daniel was 29 years old and in his 13th year of serving in the navy.

After Daniel died she felt an overwhelming need to be part of something that would help others and prevent them from going down the same path. Sam joined the Tasmanian Suicide Steering Committee and was nominated to the Board of Management of SPA 3 years ago. She is currently serving as Treasurer.

The skills, expertise, commitment and dedication of individuals within SPA is the thing that keeps her involved because she sincerely believe that together we do make a difference.

Her job as Coordinator of Service Coordination Team at Disability Services regularly puts her in contact with individuals and family members who have attempted suicide, self harm and those who have lost loved ones through suicide. Sam has worked in the disability industry for around 24 years and being a bereaved parent gives her some insight into what family and friends go through when they lose someone to suicide.

Three years ago her manager took his life. This had a devastating effect on individuals in the workplace and remains for some employees to this day.

Her particular interest in suicide prevention is mainly around suicide in young people and suicide in the workplace.

Queensland Board Member

Elizabeth Benson-Stott

Elizabeth Benson – Stott works in the clinical field working as Director and Psychologist for Aggregate Corporation Pty Ltd which is a Psychological and Business consulting service, and is based in Hervey Bay, Queensland.

She has had prior personal experience in the area of family suicide. She is of aboriginal descent. Elizabeth Benson-Stott won the 2004 LiFE Award in the category of Youth.

Australian Capital Territory Board Member

Dagmar Ceramidas

Dagmar has worked in the mental health sector for over 20 years particularly in depression and is soon to submit her PhD exploring depression in later life. She initiated, established and managed VYNE, the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Program for the ACT. She also developed and oversaw the establishment of OzHelp, a suicide prevention program for apprentices of the building industry.

As well as being a current Board Member of Suicide Prevention Australia, Dagmar is the Chair of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists International Advisory Group on Mental Health. Suicide prevention is highly relevant to Dagmar’s work with elderly people with depression and dementia and their carers.

This work informs her position as lecturer and researcher in aged care at Charles Sturt University.

Tasmanian Board Member

Martin Harris

Martin Harris is a Research Fellow with the University of Tasmania.

He has a background in education, but has been involved in mental health research since joining the University in 1999, where his focus has been the role of education and training in suicide prevention.

He is currently completing his PhD where is topic is “Beyond resilience – thriving in periods of geographic dislocation”. Martin is a member of the National Community and Expert Forum for Suicide Prevention.

Western Australian Board Member

Julian Krieg

Julian is the son of a farmer, the husband of one wife, father of three sons and the grandfather of seven and last of all, father-in-law to three independently spirited women.

In spite of this he maintains a relatively independent spirit and has a passion for improving the opportunities for people to understand and cope with their changing circumstances. Currently Julian and Glenys reside on a 40 ha property near York where they are growing olives and enjoying the country lifestyle.

Julian has a Bachelor of Education degree and 30 years experience in the University of Hard Knocks. Julian recently resigned from the Education Department where he was the director of Agricultural Education.

He has extensive experience working with people and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in educating and understanding boys and men.

Currently employed by the Central Wheatbelt Division of General Practice, as a project officer, Julian is responsible for the educational programs designed to build stronger communities and improve the health of men throughout the Wheatbelt.

These workshops provide community people with skills to recognise signs and triggers associated with the despair of suicide and information about who to contact regarding intervention strategies. Julian also conducts programs specifically for men (and their partners) about men’s health and how to better understand boys and their needs.

Northern Territory Board Member

Leonore Hanssens

Leonore is a researcher at Charles Darwin University. She conducts research into suicide contagion into clusters of suicide in the Northern Territory which is particularly affecting the Indigenous community.

The goal is to identify if there is a contagion effect within the clusters of suicide and to identify the particular phenomenon that is at work within those clusters of suicide. Specifically, she is looking at high rate of Indigenous men and suicide – 7 out of 8 suicides in the Northern Territory are male.

Leonore has previously been the coordinator of the Life Promotion Program DHCS for the past six years and the program won the Suicide Prevention Australia 2004 Inaugural LiFE Award Indigenous Category for healthy work. Leonore has a Masters Degree in Primary Health Care majoring in Addictions and Community Mental Health and has commenced a doctorate at Charles Darwin University.

Leonore also holds qualifications as a Master Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer. Leonore has been the Northern Territory representative on the SPA Board since 2006. In conjunction with the NT Delegate Mark Munnich, Leonore was responsible for the establishment of the Northern Territory Inaugural LiFE Awards in concert with World Suicide Prevention Day.

In collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Agencies and other stakeholders, Leonore has been taking a lead role in developing a working party to prepare for the Inaugural Indigenous Suicide Prevention Australia Conference in NAIDOC Week 2007.

South Australian Board Member

Keith Miller

Keith is a Project Officer with the Murray Mallee Division of General Practice. Keith is passionately interested in the issue of suicide prevention.

He has recently completed a PhD looking at suicidal journeys. As a social worker employed by a Division of General Practice, he has spent time developing and implementing a suicide prevention strategy regionally amongst health practitioners.

Keith has also spent time listening to people discussing the tragedy of suicide amongst friends and family. Keith is a very happily married with three adult children.

Victorian Board Member

Tim Corney

Tim is the Manager, Incolink Construction Industry Welfare Services. He has over 20 years experience in industry, has undergraduate and post graduate qualifications in the social sciences and has published widely.

Incolink employs a large number of staff to provide a diverse range of industry welfare and employee assistance programs, focusing on education, prevention, intervention and post-vention in the areas of suicide, drug and alcohol use, relationship and family breakdown, financial crisis, problem gambling, unemployment, career transition, workplace accidents, trauma, terminal illness and death.

Incolink also manages a range of industry funds and provides a range of industry benefits and insurances to members working in the commercial construction industry". Incolink won the Industry Category for the LiFe Awards in 2006.

New South Wales Board Member

Professor John McDonald

John is a Professor of Primary Health Care at the University of Western Sydney with a strong interest in the social determinants of health; the context of people’s lives that help then stay healthy, both physically and mentally.

He is also Co-Director, Men’s Health Information and Resource Centre, UWS, President, Australasian Men’s Health Forum, Visiting Professor, Community and Health, Birzeit University, Palestine and Chair, Research Committee, Primary Health Institute of NSW.

John was a major player in the SPA National Forum on Men and Suicide last May.

Victorian State Delegate

VACANT POSITION

Australian Capital Territory State Delegate

VACANT POSITION

Tasmanian State Delegate

Tim Johnson

Tim Johnson is the project officer to P.O.S.I.T.I.V.E (Prevention Of Suicide Involving Tasmanians In Vital Education)

He has been involved in suicide prevention in Tasmania for over 8 years. The main focus of his work is to network with hard to reach sectors of the community to ultimately provide appropriate training to that community to reduce suicide.

In his time doing suicide prevention he has continually explores different ways to address the issue of men’s health, specifically mental health and associated issues of inability to talk, or using appropriate help seeking skills.

He sees this forum an opportunity to learn more and perhaps participate in giving others worthwhile skills.

Western Australian State Delegate

Shawn Phillips

Information will be posted shortly

Northern Territory State Delegate

Mark Munnich

Mark is an indigenous man and the Director of Danila Dilba Youth Services.

His background is in Social Work and is a Master ASIST train the trainer.

New South Wales State Delegate

Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith has been working on suicide prevention on the Central Coast for a number of years.

He is currently a member of the Federal Health and Ageing Evaluation Taskforce for Replication of the Suicide Safety Networks and was a member of the Advisory Committee for the highly successful recent National Forum on Men and Suicide.

Anthony is a key partner in a University of Western Sydney suicide prevention research project conducted on the Central Coast. The Central Coast (NSW) Suicide Safety Network is widely acknowledged for its work in suicide prevention. Suicide data in Australia is largely gathered via a local Coroner’s office.

A more detailed and accurate database has been developed by the Central Coast Coroner’s Office and used over a number of years. The information gathered from this suggests that the national data and the methodology used needs re-consideration, especially in regard to the factors involved in suicide and the validity of the information on ‘psychological autopsy’ and ‘depression’. Using a 5-year age grouping also shows that, on the Central Coast, ‘youth’ suicide is actually largely young men aged between 20 and 24, rather than teenagers.

South Australian State Delegate

POSITION VACANT

POSITION VACANT

Queensland State Delegate

Jean-Claude Boulenaz

Information will be posted shortly

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ryan McGlaughlin

Ryan McGlaughlin, Executive Officer for Suicide Prevention Australia, has been with the organisation for over three years. Over this time he has been responsible for the introduction of a range of new administration and management systems, as well as project management for SPA’s numerous events and activities.

Ryan, who is often the ‘front face’ of the organisation, brought to SPA a rich experience in the non Government sector, having worked with such non for profit organisations; Planet Ark as National Project Manager, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad as National Events and Fundraising Manager and with People Living with HIVAIDS (NSW) as Manager.

Ryan has also worked as Event Manager and Fundraiser for the AIDS Council of South Australia and SOLAS HIV / AIDS Centre in Scotland. His time in the Royal Australian Navy provided a strong background in leadership, in project management and in teamwork.

Ryan has also had experienced being a volunteer Board member of numerous non Government organisations eg. AIDS Council of New South Wales and the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation.

Ryan has encountered numerous people who have committed suicide through his previous work in the HIV / AIDS sector.

EVENTS / PROJECTS COORDINATOR

Tony Phillips

Tony’s involvement with SPA has come about for different reasons to most of the board and delegates.

His background is in event management.

Tony has been involved in the music scene both as DJ and as an event promoter and organiser. He has worked on many different styles of music events from theatre productions to most recently club nights and dance parties.

In 2006, after doing some traveling and finding out a bit more about himself, he decided to go back and study.

Tony completed an Advanced Diploma in Business (Marketing) Majoring in sports and entertainment at private college. As part of his studies he had to complete an internship with a company. SPA was one of the companies on the list and their work interested him.

Tony started as an intern with SPA in August of 2006 and helped work on the LiFe awards in September and then the National Conference in Adelaide in November of 2006. Tony has experienced some affects of suicide having lost two close friends over the years.

He believes that his contribution to the prevention of suicide in Australia is different to those who deal with suicide every day, yet still an important contribution.

Tony's brings his experience in event management and also his strong feelings of belief in what SPA is achieving together to help produce successful events, conferences, workshops and forums that aid in bringing people together involved in the prevention of suicide.

The more people that meet, work together, come up with ideas and share their thoughts, the closer SPA will get to achieve their goal to reduce the rates of suicide in Australia.

Tony is excited to be involved in something that is becoming more and more important to him every day. “It is a strange yet wonderful feeling to know that you are making a difference in an area that is so tragic.” “I look forward to being able to see these changes take place over the period that I am involved with SPA.”

ADMINISTRATION / FINANCE OFFICER

Iurie Draganov

Every person is an ARCHITECT of his own fortune, and each of us starts creating the base of this destiny from childhood. I am trying to follow this affirmation, because I am a highly aspirated person and I believe in a bright future.

I have come from the Republic of Moldova, it’s a small country situated in South-Eastern part of Europe. It is a former communist country, which now has hard economic problems. It is so difficult for young people to create their own future in this region of the world. Therefore, as soon as I graduated with a Faculty of Accounting from Bucharest, I started looking for a place which could offer better opportunities. At that point in time, Australia looks like the most suitable place for me.

My wife has joined me in Sydney; she is coming from a teaching background and now she is trying to improve her knowledge of English to be able to start a teaching career here in Sydney. Back home, I have been involved in a lot of volunteering activities within different organizations. I was a volunteer at Corabia Viitorului (Sheep of the Future), and Viata un Miracol (Life is a Miracle).

My duty at this non-governmental organization was mainly writing submissions and grants for different programs regarding the protection of human rights in Moldova. A highlight was receiving funds from the United Nations Commission in Moldova. I was directly involved in all discussions with this particular fund.

This year luck has been on my side, and I had an opportunity to associate myself with the SPA team, and to get involved with activities that assist the prevention of suicide in Australia. My role in SPA is to manage the finance issues, and to combine my knowledge in the finance area with administrative support.

As I have graduated in Faculty of Accounting and a Diploma of Financial Services, I will try to use my theoretical knowledge, my professional ambition, my commitment, and my strong enthusiasm to ensure a smooth running of the finance department of the organization, and I will try to sort out existing challenges and polish current financial controls and administrative systems.

The recent knowledge gained from attending a course in ‘Australian Corporation Law and Taxation Law’ will help me to follow up existing rules in Australian legislation, which will be necessary to uphold the finance and statutory responsibilities of the organization. It is very important for me to be involved with an organization that has ‘heart’, and give my contribution to the prevention of suicide in Australia. My slogan in life is “A winner is all the time a fighter”.

I will concentrate all my possible power to carry out all my aspiration and goals. Somebody can say that my contribution is secondary, but I think it is important one, because at all the time “Money can build roads in the sea”!