Wheatbelt Suicide Prevention Services
For: Adults Children and young people Families Prevention
Available in: Wheatbelt
Providing suicide prevention services, training, education and support programs across WA’s Wheatbelt region, with funding from the WA Mental Health Commission.
About the service
Our services, programs and supports in the Wheatbelt include:
- Mental health and wellbeing and suicide prevention promotion. We have a range of mutually reinforcing initiatives designed to:
- reduce stigma, increase awareness and improve knowledge
- encourage healthy lifestyles and increase protective factors
- reduce risk factors or unsafe or harmful behaviours
- promote help-seeking and assist with system navigation.
We promote community awareness campaigns (such as Think Mental Health, Act Belong Commit, R U OK? Foundation) and, where appropriate, tailor them to meet the needs of local communities. Our team also co-designs awareness resources to increase help-seeking behaviour and address stigma and self-stigma.
Our key focus areas for mental health and wellbeing and suicide prevention promotion are:
- Community Wellbeing Plans (CWPs). CWPs are 2-3 year strategic plans that use evidence-based suicide prevention and AOD strategies to improve the safety of a community. We invite various organisations to contribute to CWPs, ensuring each plan is tailored to address the areas of concern within each community. Each plan provides an outline of activities that can be undertaken at a local level to create sustainable change.
While CWPs are standalone, locally focused strategic documents, they can contribute to both the Wheatbelt Human Services Managers Forum (WHSMF) Priority Area Working Groups (PAWGs) and the Wheatbelt District Leadership Group (DLG)LG, which both have a broader Wheatbelt focus.
Our team also supports Local Government Authorities (LGAs) with WALGA’s recommendations to address mental health and suicide prevention in their LGA Public Health Plans. Moreover, we can assist with the delivery and coordination of events aligned with national days or weeks of significance (i.e. Mental Health Week, World Suicide Prevention Day, Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week, Women’s or Men’s Health Week, Youth Week or Seniors Week).
- Education and training. Our education and training programs include, but are not limited to:
- Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training (two days). Designed for professionals and paraprofessionals, the training provides participants with a wide range of skills and knowledge to improve their ability and confidence to work with suicidal people and make referrals to professional help. The workshop covers a wide range of topics, from understanding suicidal and self-harm warning signs and risk assessments to intervention strategies, intervention guidelines and postvention.
- Accidental Counsellor (one day). Designed for professionals, paraprofessionals, frontline workers, volunteers and the community, this course is for people who want to safely and effectively support friends, family, colleagues and strangers in distress or experiencing a crisis. The skills learnt on this course can be applied in many contexts and will provide participants with skills in active listening, calming and effective gentle questioning. You will also learn how to ask openly about suicide risk and respond safely, whatever the answer.
- Rural Minds (half day). Designed for frontline workers, volunteers and the community, this workshop helps you improve your awareness and understanding of mental health issues and make the connection between mental health and personal safety. It will give you the confidence, strategies and pathways to support that will help you preserve your mental health and that of your family and friends. It covers a range of topics, from stigma, mental health risks and anxiety/depression to relationships, dementia, suicide and alcohol, drugs and mental health.
- safeTALK (half day). Designed for frontline workers, volunteers and the community, safeTALK is a half-day training course in suicide alertness. It helps participants recognise a person with thoughts of suicide and connect them with resources that can help them in choosing to live. The training focuses on using the TALK steps – Tell, Ask, Listen, KeepSafe – to engage with people with thoughts of suicide and help them connect with life-affirming resources.
We also offer Mental Health First Aid courses:
- Standard Mental Health First Aid Course (2 days)
- Mental Health First Aid for Adults Supporting Youth (2 days)
- Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Course (2 days)
Our team can also custom design and deliver training to suit stakeholder groups or communities. Please contact JDrayton@holyoake.org.au for further information on custom-developed training and education.
- Postvention support. Our team provides postvention support (via the Wheatbelt Critical Response Group and the Wheatbelt Postvention Committee) to individuals, families, workplaces, sporting clubs and communities that have been bereaved or impacted by suicide. We provide safe, coordinated, confidential and culturally appropriate postvention support via:
- Advocacy Services
- Counselling Support
- Financial Counselling Support and Emergency Relief
- Yarning Circles
- Clinical Suicide Risk Assessment and Mental Health Support
Our postvention support is delivered in collaboration with WA Country Health Service, StandBy, WAPOL and Moorditj Youth Foundation. All support and initiatives are co-designed with the consent of the people who have been bereaved or impacted.
- Integration of suicide prevention activity. We ensure that all suicide prevention activities undertaken within the Wheatbelt region are integrated through representation on the following committees:
- Wheatbelt District Leadership Group (DLG)
- Wheatbelt Human Services Managers Forum (WHSMF) and its five associated Priority Area Working Groups:
- Mental Health, Suicide, Alcohol & Other Drugs
- Family & Domestic Violence / Children at Risk
- Children, Young People, Education & Training Pathways
- Ageing Well and in Place
- Poverty, Cost of Living and Emergency Relief
- Wheatbelt Regional Aboriginal Health Planning Forum
- Wheatbelt Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention Advisory Group (WAODPAG)
Suicide Prevention activity in the Wheatbelt is also guided and overseen by the Wheatbelt Suicide Prevention Advisory Forum Committee. Members include:
- WAPOL
- WA Country Health Service
- Department of Education
- Lived / Living Experience
- Amity Health
- Headspace
- Moorditj Youth Foundation
- StandBy
- St John Ambulance
- WA Mental Health Commission
- WA Primary Health Alliance
- Regional Mens Health Initiative
- Youth Care
- Avon Community Services
What people say about our service
“Amazing training – it has changed my cognitive bias for suicide.”
Participant on Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training
“I just wanted to express my thanks for an excellent course. It was always going to be a tough day for me, but you made the journey comfortable and for that I am grateful. Thank you once again and keep up the great work on the most important of issues”
Participant on AgriBalance Training
“Just a quick email to say THANK YOU for joining our Southern District Health Advisory Council (DHAC) last night. The ‘Pulse of the Wheatbelt’ presentation was truly thought-provoking and we all agreed it highlighted many important issues for those living in rural areas.”
Health Service Manager – WA County Health Service.
“I want to take the opportunity to let you know we are all amazed at your drive and enthusiasm – I am sure the Wheatbelt would be a much lesser place without your input.”
Acting Inspector – WAPOL
“I could not speak more highly of the Wheatbelt Suicide Prevention team and Holyoake’s Northam-based counselling outreach service. They were magnificent. The local police, Holyoake and the Local Government Insurance Scheme team all helped us through what was such a dark time.”
CEO – Local Government Authority
“I just wanted to let you know that I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you all, working with and creating an ongoing partnership for the girls and yourselves to develop! You made my life so much easier and I know all the girls got so much out of it.”
Mental Health Program Coordinator – Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation
For more information about our Wheatbelt AOD Prevention Service, please email wcadsprevention@holyoake.org.au
Our Childsafe commitment
Every child has a right to live without violence, be cared for and protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
We’re committed to child safety and wellbeing and maintain child-safe and child-friendly environments, implementing and completing self-assessments aligned to the National Principles of the Child Safe Organisations 2019 framework, as developed by the Commissioner for Children and Young People Western Australia.