Macedon Ranges Suicide Prevention Action Group
2017 Action Plan
Key area
Stigma and
Community
Awareness
Objective
Decrease stigma and
raise community
awareness around
suicide and suicide
prevention
Support for people at
risk
Support for
individuals,
their
parents,
children,
carers,
friends
Mental
health
services in
Macedon
Ranges
Action
Lead
Comment
Measure
 Promotion/Marketing Strategy developed
 Implementation of strategy commenced
 Develop promotion and marketing strategy for all MRSPAG activities
Communications
Working Group*
 Explore the development of a “MRSPAG tick” for community newsletters and local
media outlets that use the Mindframe Guidelines when reporting on mental illness
and suicide
Communications
Working Group*
 Invest in training additional local Mental Health First Aid instructors
MRSPAG*
 Identify and deliver gatekeeper training that is appropriate for different target groups
e.g. safeTalk, ASIST
MRSPAG*
 Appropriate gatekeeper training identified and funding confirmed
 Plan for rolling out training developed
 Develop plan for organising a ‘MRSPAG Walk’ (in place of Out of the Shadows Walk)
MRSPAG Walk
Working Group
 Plan for “MRSPAG Walk” developed
 “MRSPAG Walk” held in 2017 or planned for 2018
 Establish MRSPAG speakers’ bureau for those who are trained and wish to speak
publically about their lived experience of suicide.
Communications
Working Group
 MRSPAG speakers’ bureau set up and promoted (depends on
availability of trained speakers)
 Organise suicide prevention forum for community members and service providers to
check in with what MRSPAG is doing / could be doing
Forum Working
Group
 Forum held
 Forum outcomes reported to participants and put on website
 Fully develop a community support model for those who are at risk.
Community Support
Working Group^
 Community Support Model developed
 Community Support Model trialled
 Develop a shire-wide protocol/process for responding to a suspected suicide death,
including sporting clubs
MRSPAG^
 Shire-wide protocol/process developed and shared widely
 Strengthen the skills of the Peer Support After Suicide Group members
Support after suicide
Peer Support
Working Group^
*Delivery of
actions depends
on PHN
financial and
other support
^Delivery of
actions
enhanced by
PHN financial
and other
support
 Feasibility of “MRSPAG tick” determined.
 If feasible, “MRSPAG tick” developed and promoted
 Additional local MHFA instructors trained and ready to start
 Members of Peer Support After Suicide group attend Suicide
Prevention Australia’s Lived Experience Speakers’ Bureau training
 Members of Peer Support After Suicide Group present at 2017
Suicide Prevention Australia’s Conference
 Other training opportunities identified and undertaken or planned
 Explore how to offer peer support to people who can’t attend face-to-face meetings
 Methods for offering support to people who can’t attend face-to-face
meetings identified
 Explore how to support young people who have been impacted by suicide
 Methods for supporting young people who have been impacted by
suicide identified
Advocate for quality
mental health services
in Macedon Ranges
 Current systems review – mapping and recording people’s experiences of the suicide
prevention/mental health system (broader than traditional services)
MRSPAG*
Strengthen our
evidence base
 Source and explore all available data on suicide attempts and suicide deaths
including ambulance, hospital, GPs and other sources not yet identified.
Evidence Working
Group
Working group
Members
Community Support
Model
Dianne Slater
Jenny Lonergan
Libby Moloney
Lynsey Ward
Narelle Trewin
Pauline Neil
Communications
Noelene Ward
Pauline Neil
Stuart Bonnington
Evidence
Kerry Haby
Mark Halloran
Ryan Irwin
Shelly Lavery
*Delivery of
actions depends
on PHN support
 Review of current systems completed, including record of people’s
experiences
 Available data on suicide attempts and suicide deaths explored (need
to draw on PHN contacts)
Contact
Working group
Members
Jenny
[email protected]
MRSPAG Walk
Dianne Slater
Jenny Lonergan
Lynsey Ward
Noelene Ward
Peer Support
Dianne Slater
Lynsey Ward
Narelle Trewin
Noelene Ward
Suicide Prevention
Forum
Jenny Lonergan
Kerry Haby
Lynsey Ward
Pauline Neil
Pauline 047 127 377
[email protected]
Kerry 5422 0260
[email protected]
Contact
Rhea Doyle
Lynsey 0409 532 376
[email protected]
Lynsey 0409 532 376
[email protected]
Shelly Lavery
Kerry 5422 0260
[email protected]