Accreditation Program - Suicide Prevention Australia

Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program

Australia’s first Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program

The Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program supports organisations to implement safe, high-quality, and effective suicide prevention and postvention programs in Australia.

The program is governed by the Suicide Prevention Australia Standards for Quality Improvement, 2^nd Edition (the Standards) which has been developed in collaboration with people of lived experience of suicide, help-seekers, clinicians, service providers and accreditation experts.

Suicide Prevention Australia works with an independent accreditation agency, Quality Innovation Performance Limited, to carry out the accreditation process.

The Suicide Prevention Accreditation program is funded by the Australian Department of Health.

Why is accreditation important?

Almost 90% of respondents to Suicide Prevention Australia’s State of the Nation survey believe Governments should prioritise programs that are accredited as safe, quality and effective when funding suicide prevention services.
Commissioning bodies such as Primary Health Networks and Coordinators have been encouraged to consider whether programs are accredited or working towards accreditation under the national standards.
It demonstrates your organisations commitment to implementing safe, high-quality, and effective suicide prevention programs.
All programs that are undertaking or achieved accreditation are recognised and promoted by Suicide Prevention Australia in our Accreditation Directory and Learnlinc platform.

Download The Accreditation Standards

Further Information

ELIGIBILITY

The Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program is for all suicide prevention and postvention programs. A suicide prevention program is one that is implemented to address, prevent or respond to suicidal behaviours and their impact on people, families, communities and the Australian population.

If an organisation is unsure if the program meets the suicide prevention standards or wishes to discuss any aspects of eligibility for the Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program, please contact Suicide Prevention Australia on qip@suicidepreventionaust.org or phone 02 9262 1130.

INDEPENDENT ACCREDITATION

Providers of suicide prevention and postvention programs, at different stages of implementation or maturity, can now participate in an independent, self-directed accreditation program.

Accreditation is carried out by an independent accreditation agency, Quality Innovation Performance Limited (QIP). QIP is Australia’s most comprehensive not-for-profit accreditation agency, with expertise across the entire health and human services continuum.

The Accreditation Program offers a range of resources and templates that can support suicide prevention programs through the process of becoming accredited.

ABOUT THE SUICIDE PREVENTION STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION

The Suicide Prevention Australia Standards Quality Improvement, 2^nd Edition (the Standards) were developed in collaboration with the suicide prevention sector.

Assessment against the Standards assists organisations to continually improve and provide assurance to consumers and funding providers that the suicide prevention programs delivered by an organisation are safe, high-quality and effective. There are six standards that focus on the delivery of consistent, high-quality, and safe standards of care.

The Standards include:

Alignment
Lived & Living Experience of Suicide
Collaboration
Program Framework
Program Management
Program Outcomes & Knowledge Sharing

READ THE STANDARDS

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVED EXPERIENCE

“Lived experience expertise is separate, equal and additional to ANY expertise provided by sources such as academia, service provision or conventional research and evaluation.

The knowledge gained through relevant, reflected upon and integrated lived experience cannot be replaced by any other knowledge.

A program that is informed by this hard won experience will be able to provide more effective support and better outcomes for the community.

We all share the aim of providing the best we can for the people who access our services and valuing people with lived experience as equal partners in all aspects of service provision is the most certain way to provide the best possible service.”

Grenville Rose, Lived Experience Panel Member

RESOURCES & FLYERS

Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program Flyer – download
Trauma-Informed Approaches Report – a rapid review of evidence from University of South Australia researchers
The Role of Economic Impacts on Suicidal Behaviour – a review of evidence from AISRAP researchers

Accreditation Directory

All programs that have met or are undertaking formal independent assessment against the accreditation standards are listed on our Accreditation Directory. This Directory can be utilised when seeking to commission or fund suicide prevention programs that adhere to the best practice standards.

LEARN MORE

Testimonials

“The accreditation provides six of our core programs with further credibility, diligence, and governance; ensuring OzHelp’s valued customers and clients have the confidence that we are providing only the very best support and care to those who need it.”

OzHelp

“StandBy has been operational since 2002 and we are the largest postvention program in Australia. There are currently no standards for us to map StandBy against. The Suicide Prevention Quality Improvement Program will help us continue to be leaders in best practice postvention.”

StandBy Support After Suicide

“The Connecting with People Program and resources were developed to make a positive difference to people in distress and those supporting them. They are underpinned by the latest international thinking, evidenced-based principles, lived and living experience in suicide prevention, with coproduction and compassion at their core. Safety, quality, and governance are extremely important to us, so we are delighted to be in the first wave of programs joining the Suicide Prevention Australia Accreditation Program.”

Connecting with People

“We are so grateful for Suicide Prevention Australia to have set these standards and give clear communication on how to deliver the very best in standards that we can. It has been a most beneficial process to undertake as an organisation and we are reaping the benefits already in the streamlining of our policies and processes.”

Iris Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

Why become an accredited suicide prevention program or service?

Achieving accreditation against the nationally recognised standards helps ensure an organisation’s suicide prevention services are safe, effective, and impactful for those at risk.

It supports an organisation to demonstrate commitment to quality improvement, by allowing the team to take active steps to implement best-practice programs and services.

Accreditation allows service users, as well as funding providers, and health and community support services referring people in need, to feel reassured that they will have access to a consistent, high-quality and safe standard of care.

Assessment against the Standards assists organisations to continually improve and better support consumers by providing an improved service experience.

Implementation of the Standards requires the involvement of staff and volunteers to ensure the quality, effectiveness and reliability of the suicide prevention programs being delivered.

Why does the sector need this program?

The Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program is designed to support the suicide prevention sector. This means that providers of suicide prevention programs can benefit by placing their programs on a self-directed course that is useful, purposeful, user-friendly, and relevant to their needs.

Does undertaking the Suicide Prevention Accreditation program assist with commissioning & funding opportunities?

The Department of Health has provided program guidance to PHNs for targeted regional initiatives encouraging commissioners to consider programs accredited or working towards accreditation when evaluating tender submissions.

How long does the accreditation process take?

To date, the average time to complete the self-assessment component of the accreditation process takes approximately 6 months. An additional 1-2 months are required for the independent auditor to complete their review.

What happens if we don’t complete the accreditation process in the time provided?

QIP can be approached to extend the timeframe to complete the accreditation acknowledging that resources and circumstances may change when completing the process.

Is the accrediting organisation independent from Suicide Prevention Australia?

Accreditation is undertaken by Quality Innovation Performance Limited (QIP).

QIP is a not-for-profit accreditation organisation dedicated to supporting health and community services to manage safety, risk, and quality through the provision of accreditation, certification, and quality assurance services.

QIP can support your organisation throughout the accreditation process by providing:

A dedicated QIP Client Liaison Team
Access to the QIP accreditation hub which includes:
- AccreditationPro, our user-friendly, password protected self-assessment tool, and
- An extensive online education and resource library containing useful documents such as Suicide Prevention Australia’s customisable templates.

How is the Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program different to Life in Mind?

The Life in Mind national directory houses a collection of suicide prevention programs and services which may be beneficial for people working in the suicide prevention sector, as well as those in mental health, government, business, or community groups.

Where can I find accredited suicide prevention programs and services?

You can search for accredited services in the Accreditation Directory.

These services have met or are undertaking formal independent assessment against the Accreditation Program.

How much does the Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program cost?

The cost of the program is $1550 (GST exclusive) per program or service. For more information contact Quality Innovation Performance Limited (QIP) on 1300 888 329 or info@qip.com.au

If an organisation is unsure if the program meets the suicide prevention standards or wishes to discuss any aspects of eligibility for the Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program, please contact Suicide Prevention Australia on qip@suicidepreventionaust.org or phone 02 9262 1130.

Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program