Hon Helen Morton MLC — At-risk groups focus for suicide prevention

Aboriginal cultural camps, teen mental health first aid, Men’s Shed events and multicultural support groups are among the activities and training funded by the latest round of the One Life Suicide Prevention Small Grants totalling $282,110.

Announcing the grants, Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said $103,102 would be allocated to Aboriginal organisations to run cultural awareness camps for young people, workshops, seminars and ‘yarning’ activities.

“This is on top of $100,000 of similar grants for Aboriginal suicide prevention activities during 2014,” Mrs Morton said.

In addition, $52,578 will be spent on delivering Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid, safeTALK suicide-alertness workshops and the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) train-the-trainer program to Aboriginal communities in the metropolitan area and Western Australia’s south-west.

“The activities, including indigenous camps for high school children in the South-West region and Derby; seminars to build awareness of mental health issues, depression and suicide in Beverley; and ‘yarning’ sessions in Albany and surrounding towns will help build resilience among Aboriginal communities.

“Aboriginals in WA experience higher suicide rates than the WA average and the State Government is committed to specific suicide prevention efforts to make a difference.

“Given this is the first time these grants were specifically available to Aboriginal-controlled health organisations, the variety and number of activities is a fantastic result.”

The Minister said a further $70,000 had been allocated to the Multicultural Services Centre of WA to host information forums and establish support groups for people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.

“This includes $15,888 for Living Proud, which will use the funds to deliver the ASIST train-the-trainer program and the safeTALK Training for Trainers program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people,” she said.