World Suicide Prevention Day
WorldSuicide Prevention Day across the globe provides a unique opportunity tocollectively emphasise the importance of suicide prevention measures within ourcommunities. The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation(NACCHO) supports the national action on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandermental illness and suicide prevention.
ActingNACCHO Chair, Donnella Mills says, "NACCHO welcomes the Government's commitmentand national actions towards reducing suicide rates and improving mental healthoutcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
"Mentalhealth and suicide remain one of our top priorities as research shows thatAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 2.7 times more likely toexperience high levels of psychological distress than other Australians. The attemptedsuicides are almost twice the rate of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpopulation and they are missing out on the much-needed mental health services.
"AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health Organisations are best placed to be the preferredproviders of mental health, social and emotional wellbeing, andsuicide-prevention activities in their communities. They need to be adequatelyresourced to develop community-led solutions that consider issues from a socialand emotional perspective and provide appropriate solutions to prevention.
"Harnessingthis global momentum on World Suicide Prevention Day is critical to ensureproductive and meaningful solutions are put in place to drive suicide ratesdown. We will continue to advocate forappropriate funding to ensure community-led solutions to arrest suicide."
InMarch 2019, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), the RoyalAustralian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) and NACCHO calledon the Prime Minister to make tackling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderyouth suicides a national health priority.
