Suicide Prevention Australia has today released a report which reveals that young people in distress or experiencing suicidal ideation need alternatives to emergency departments.
Emergency department presentations for young people who have self-harmed or are experiencing suicidal ideation are on the increase and this report outlines better alternatives including safe spaces with youth peer workers or a crisis support team that comes to the young person’s home.
The report, In their words: How to support young people in distress, is based on consultations with 85 young people, 13 youth suicide prevention and mental health organisations, and a review of published research. It reveals that young people in distress need youth-specific alternatives to hospital emergency departments.
Based on extensive consultations with young people, the report outlines a set of recommendations for the government to implement to better respond to youth suicide and self-harm.
Suicide Prevention Australia CEO Nieves Murray said, “Tragically, suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged between 15-24 (AIHW, 2021). To address the critical issue of youth suicides effectively, we need to hear from the voices of young people.
“Throughout the consultations, we heard loud and clear from young people that we need to address the negative experiences of attending emergency departments after attempting suicide or self-harm.
“Emergency departments are not set up to address the mental health and well-being needs of young people in distress. Yet we have over 10,000 young people each year attending emergency departments after self-harming and many have negative experiences, making them less likely to seek support in future.
“Young people have said they need alternatives to emergency departments. Whether it’s a 24/7 safe space with youth peer workers and medical and mental health support staff, or a crisis support team that comes to the young person’s home, it is clear we need models that are youth-specific and unique to their risk factors.
“We are calling on all state and territory governments to allocate funding to design and trial a number of youth-specific alternatives to emergency departments that will be co-designed with young people.
“There’s a real opportunity for national leadership from the Commonwealth Government. The new National Agreement on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention can help deliver better supports for young people right across the country.
“Funding also needs to be allocated to improve the experience of young people presenting to emergency departments after having made a suicide attempt or self-harmed,” said Ms Murray.
Emily Unity (they/them), mental health professional and lived experience consultant said, “As a young person with lived experiences of suicide and emergency departments, this project was very dear to my heart. I had the privilege of working alongside my peers – young experts by experience – who shared their expertise and hopes for the future of suicide supports. I trust that stakeholders will recognise the value of these recommendations and I want to deeply thank you for your investment in the future of our young people.
Nicolas Brown, CEO of batyr said, “At batyr, we hear young people every day talk about ways improvements can be made to services around them and the ways they’re supported. When we know that suicide is the leading cause of death for young people, there is no time to waste in working directly with young people to better understand their perspective on solutions. It’s time we not only identify what needs to change, but to take action for policy reform and service improvement based on what will actually work.
“It’s great to see Suicide Prevention Australia championing through this report the critical need for young people to be central in advising improvements for the systems around them, based on their real experiences,” said Mr Brown.
Ms Murray said, “Many young people in distress might never go near an emergency department but they will come into contact with education, communities and justice systems. Alongside these recommendations in the report, we continue to call for a National Suicide Prevention Act.
“An Act would ensure that every government department, whether it’s housing, education, social security or health, must look at their policies and priorities through a suicide prevention lens. This is a critical step in protecting our community at a time when it’s needed most.
“Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy and the impact spreads across families, schools, workplace, sporting clubs and community groups. For those feeling distress, help is available and it’s important to reach out and seek support,” said Ms Murray.
To get help 24/7, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, phone 000 for emergency services.
Help to report about suicide safely is available online: Go to https://mindframe.org.au/
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Clare Kinsella 0427 689 689 or clarek@suicidepreventionaust.org
Amelia Banks 0410 591 134 or ameliab@suicidepreventionaust.org
Help to report about suicide safely is available online: Go to https://mindframe.org.au/
About Suicide Prevention Australia
Suicide Prevention Australia is the national peak body and we’ve been providing support for Australia’s suicide prevention sector for more than 25 years. We support and advocate for our members to drive continual improvement in suicide prevention policy, programs and services. Our reach is broad, including member organisations, governments, businesses, researchers, practitioners and those with lived experience. We are focused on an integrated approach to suicide prevention encompassing mental health, social, economic and community factors. We believe that through collaborative effort and shared purpose, we can achieve our vision of a world without suicide.
