Suicide Prevention Australia, in collaboration with its members and stakeholders, have developed a number of psychosocial risk frameworks across different sectors and industries. The first of its kind, the Suicide Prevention: A competency framework (the Framework) aims to enhance and build capacity, and capability of the non-clinical suicide prevention workforce to respond to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours. The Framework is informed by, and brings together, knowledge experts in workplace suicide prevention and suicide prevention training.
“People experiencing distress interact with workforces across various sectors, at different times and in different ways. Every contact that a person has with a department, service or individual worker is an opportunity to have a positive impact, ensuring they get the right supports at the right time.”
Christine Morgan, National Suicide Prevention Adviser
“There is also consideration needed to ensure resources are visible and applicable to a range of contexts. This includes workplaces and schools which were regarded in the research as being influential in shaping habits, experiences and behaviour that transcend into people’s lives more broadly.”
KPMG
What is the Framework?
The Framework is a starting point for employers and staff to consider what they need to know to promote wellbeing and intervene effectively to reduce distress and suicidal behaviour in their workplace. There are suggestions on ways to adapt, tailor and apply the Framework to different working environments and roles.
The focus of the Framework
The Framework promotes a compassionate and collaborative focus to reducing suicide risk in non-clinical workforces, and thereby the community. We are striving to ensure that every person who needs support can access a consistent, high-quality, and safe standard of care.
Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework
In collaboration with members and stakeholders, we developed Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework to enhance and build capacity, and capability of the non-clinical suicide prevention workforce to respond to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours. The Framework is informed by, and brings together, knowledge experts in workplace suicide prevention and suicide prevention training. The Framework provides a starting point for employers and staff to consider what they need to know to promote wellbeing and intervene effectively to reduce distress and suicidal behaviour in their workplace.
We are striving to ensure that every person who needs support can access a consistent, high-quality, and safe standard of care.
Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework for the Mining Industry in WA
Developed in partnership with the Western Australian Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS), the Framework provides a practical, evidence-informed roadmap to help mining workplaces recognise and respond to suicidal distress, strengthen protective factors, and reduce risk across the industry.
Mining employs more than 220,000 people in WA – over 16 per cent of the state’s workforce – and faces unique risk factors including remote locations, isolation, male-dominated environments, job insecurity, and psychosocial hazards that must be addressed.
This new Framework establishes a clear minimum standard of suicide prevention knowledge, skills and capabilities for those working across the sector, ensuring mental health and suicide prevention are treated as core components of workplace safety.
Implementation:
Suicide Prevention Australia has developed five free introductory e-modules available to anyone associated with the WA mining industry throughout 2026. The modules are accessible via Learnlinc and can be requested by emailing learnlinc@suicidepreventionaust.org with the subject line: WA Mining E-Modules.
In addition, 150 Learnlinc licences are now available for WA mining organisations. These licenses provide access to the Framework, the introductory modules, implementation support, and more than 200 additional suicide prevention resources. Organisations and people involved in mining in Western Australia can request a license by emailing learnlinc@suicidepreventionaust.org with the subject line: WA Mining Learnlinc license.
Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework for Universities
We partnered with Universities Australia to create a suicide prevention competency framework for universities. We are proud to publish this report in partnership with Universities Australia, who represent 39 member universities that educate 1.5 million students every year and employ over 100,000 staff. This important partnership provides a structure that enables early intervention for staff experiencing suicidal behaviour, staff or students with a lived experience of suicidal behaviour, and people studying who may experience struggles or factors that cause significant distress.
Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework for the Health Sector
In collaboration with the health sector, Suicide Prevention Australia has developed the Suicide Prevention: A competency framework for the health sector (the Framework) to enhance the capacity and capability of the clinical workforce in responding to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours. This framework is informed by, and brings together, knowledge experts in workplace suicide prevention and suicide training.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If an organisation is unsure on how to implement the Frameworks in their workplace or wishes to discuss any aspects of the document, please contact Suicide Prevention Australia on project@suicidepreventionaust.org or phone: 02 9262 1130.
