Member for Central Wheatbelt Mia Davies MLA has welcomed the announcement of a suicide prevention co-ordinator for the Wheatbelt.
The Minister for Mental Health has confirmed the Mental Health Commission has signed an agreement with Holyoake in the Wheatbelt to deliver the service.
“The role of the co-ordinator will be to assist services on the ground to work in partnership to improve support and care for those affected by suicide and suicide attempts,” Ms Davies said.
Co-ordinators will be placed in the Goldfields, Wheatbelt and South-West regions in the first phase of a $3.5 million initiative to promote suicide prevention, and increase community resilience and ability to respond to suicide.
“They will promote suicide prevention training and self-help activities to at-risk groups, as well as providing training for professionals and to first responders to a suicide,” she said.
Ms Davies said the State Government’s $25.9 million suicide prevention strategy, Suicide Prevention 2020, includes six action areas, including providing local support and community prevention across the lifespan.
“On average, in WA one person loses their life to suicide each day,” she said.
“The health system can be difficult to navigate when you’re battling a mental illness and every bit of help to ensure we have services working together to meet this challenge is welcome.”
Ms Davies said the State Government, through Lotterywest, had also recently provided funding to improve online services for the Mental Health Law Centre WA Inc to enable more people with mental illness to obtain online support.
“This includes a telephone advice line manned by volunteers with legal experience, which has provided 1,300 hours of help since July 2015,” she said.
“Ready access to expert information and advice to deal with legal problems relating to mental health issues is vital to the welfare of those affected and their families and carers, who too often experience discrimination and disadvantage.
If you or someone you know requires help please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
To contact the Mental Health Law Centre phone 1800 620 285 (freecall).