Publications for Practitioners
The below publications have been sourced to support practitioners in a range of contexts and under a range of conditions. While SRAA identify them as being valuable resources, each individual practitioner or service must make their own evaluation as to the utility of the resource for their needs.
Some resources are consciously excluded from this list due to ethical concerns held with respect to the nature of their grossly inappropriate communications or depictions of suicide and suicide loss. While authors may have good intentions, naivety and ignorance should not be perpetuated through inappropriate publications, communications, pictures or the circulation of material that is contrary to established protocols. SRAA take a stand in this regard. Further, some resources have been excluded due to the stratification of client suicide risk based on risk factors for suicide in the absence of any strategies for support. These resources are not in line with evidence and best practice standards and are therefore not recommended herein.
We also encourage you to consider your well being and self-care before reading material that may be distressing and confronting. What can be helpful is to identify the goal or purpose of your readings, to remain focused on what we can learn rather than what has been lost. It is also sometimes useful to set a time limit for reading difficult material to ensure you have breaks and time reconnecting with people you care about, or things that bring you joy. We hope this compilation is useful. Of course, undertaking training with SRAA or further studies is also an excellent interactive strategy to explore some of these topics.
Open access webinars (specifically involving SRAA)
- MHPN Dept Veterans Affairs webinar – Suicide Prevention in the Veteran Community https://www.mhpn.org.au/WebinarRecording/106/Suicide-Prevention-and-the-Veteran-Community
Publications General Suicide Prevention
- Accreditation Workbook for Mental Health Services (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2014)
- An evidence-based systems approach to suicide prevention: guidance on planning, commissioning and monitoring (Ridani, Torok, Shand, Holland, Murray, Borrowdale, Sheedy, Crowe, Cockayne, Christensen, 2016),
- Essential elements for recognising and responding to deterioration in a person’s mental state (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2017)
- Guide to Self Care (SPA, 2014)
- Living is For Everyone (Life): A framework for prevention of suicide in Australia (DHA, 2007)
- Living is For Everyone (Life): Research and evidence in suicide prevention (DHA, 2008)
- Medication safety in mental health (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2017)
- Mental Health and Specialist Services Suicide Prevention Strategy 2016 – 2018, Journey to Zero through Leadership, support and continuous improvement (Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services, 2016)
- National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy, National LGBTI Health Alliance (Jacobs & Morris, 2016)
- Preventing Suicide: A global imperative (World Health Organisation, 2014)
- Reporting suicide and mental illness: A Mindframe resource for media professionals (Everymind, 2014)
- Rural Suicide and its Prevention: A CRRMH position paper (Hazell, Dalton, Caton & Perkins, 2017)
- Solutions that work: What the evidence and our people tell us. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project Report (ATISISPEP, 2016)
- Suicide Prevention and First Aid: A resource for GPs (RACGP, 2016)
- Suicide Prevention and Recovery Guide: A resource for mental health professionals (SANE Australia, 2014)
- Suicide and Suicide Prevention in Australia (Mendoza & Rosenberg, 2010)
Children & Adolescents
- KidsMatter interview Carmen – An approach to suicide prevention in children
Postvention
- After suicide: A resource for GPs (RACGP, 2016)
- Family issues in suicide postvention (Flynn & Robinson, 2007)
- Information Guide for Suicide Prevention and Postvention Strategies for NSW Education Based Environments (MHCN, ND)
- Postvention Australia Guidelines: A resource for organisations and individuals providing services to people bereaved by suicide (AISRAP, 2017)
- Sudden Loss Support Kit (DHHS, 2015)
- Suicide Postvention Guidelines (SA Dpt for Education and Children’s Services, 2016)
- Suicide Postvention Toolkit: A guide for secondary schools (headspace, 2012)
- Suicide Postvention: Support for families, Whanau and significant others after a suicide. A literature review and synthesis of evidence (Beautrais, ND)
- Telling a child about suicide (Everymind, 2013)
- Toolkit for people who have been impacted by a suicide attempt (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2018)
- Toolkit for people who have been impacted by a suicide loss (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2018)
Lived Experience
- A Guide for Lived Experience Speakers: Talking about suicide (Mindframe, ND)
- Engaging people with a lived experience: Renewed prioriteis (QLD Mental Health Commission, 2017)
- Framework for the engagement of people with a lived experience in program implementation and research: Review and report preparation for the LifeSpan suicide prevention project (Suomi, Freeman & Banfield, 2016)
- Lessons for Life: The experiences of people who attempt suicide: A qualitative research report (SANE Australia, 2015)
- Supporting someone to share their lived experience: Guidance notes for organisations (Publich Health Agency, 2009)
- The Ripple Effect: Understanding the exposure and impact of suicide in Australia (Maple, Kwan Borrowdale, Riley, Murray & Sanford, 2016)
- Your guide to Suicide Prevention Australia Lived Experience Speakers Bureau (SPA, 2016)
Government Strategies and Action Plans
- NT – Suicide Prevention Strategic Action Plan 2015 – 2018 (Dept of Health, 2015)
- NT – Northern Territory Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2018 – 2023 (Dept of Health, 2018)
- NSW – Strategic Framework for Suicide Prevention in NSW 2018 – 2023 (Mental Health Commission of NSW, 2018)
- QLD – Every life – The Queensland Suicide Prevention Plan 2019 – 2029 (QLD Health, 2019)
- SA – Mental Health Services Plan 2020-2025– (SA Health, 2020)
- Tas – Rethink 2020 – A state plan for mental health in Tasmania 2020 – 2025 (DHHS, 2020)
- Tas – Youth Suicide Prevention Plan for Tasmania (2016 – 2020), (DHHS, 2016)
- Vic – Victorian Suicide Prevention Framework 2016 – 2025 – (DHHS, 2016)
- WA – Help inform the Western Australian Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2021-2025 (Govt of Western Australia, Mental Health Commission, ND 2021)
Psychological Health and Safety in the Workforce
- SWA (2019) – Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties
- SWA (2014) – Return to work in psychological injury claims
- Spencer-Thomas, S. (2019). A Report of Findings to Direct the Development of National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention.
- Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (2015). Psychologically Safe and Healthy Workplaces: Risk Management Approach Toolkit
- WorkCover QLD (2018) – Mentally Healthy Workplaces Toolkit
- SafeWork NSW – NSW workplaces only – Free online mental health skills training
- Ahead for Business – Small Business support
- Small Business Commissioner – Mental health for small business
Bullying in the workplace – it is a WHS issue
- Fair Work Ombudsman – Employee entitlements – Bullying & Harassment
- SWA – Bullying (What is and is not bullying and further advice)
- Australian Human Rights Commission – Workplace discrimination, harassment and bullying
- HeadsUp – Workplace bullying