❓ Question on Notice regarding Aboriginal suicide prevention in WA, focusing on program validity, data collection, funding accountability, and alignment with 'Close the Gap'. The Minister's response indicates ongoing strategy development and community-led approaches.
AnsweredQoN 3043Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the media statement, available at https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2020/07/New-suicide-prevention-projects-to-help-reduce-risk.aspx, concerning Aboriginal suicide prevention in Western Australia, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP), and I ask: (a) what tools or programmes have been demonstrated to be valid (or culturally appropriate) for use with Aboriginal people: (i) would the Minister please table any data relevant to (a), including outcome evidence of their appropriateness; (b) of those discussed at (a), which data collection/monitoring tools, and protocols, will the Government be using to ensure that programs are actually reducing suicide risk: (i) if the Government chooses a programme not listed in (a), how is the Government sure of its efficacy; (c) noting the media release states the funding is for ‘targeted programs’, have the Government been able to identify programs that have demonstrated the ability to target known suicide risk factors and reduce risk factors: (i) how was this ability to target known suicide risks demonstrated to Government; (ii) how was this ability to reduce risk demonstrated to Government; (iii) what outcome data
is the Government currently gathering to demonstrate programs are preventing
suicide; and (iv) given the large amount of funding, how is the Government ensuring accountability; (d) could the Minister please confirm how many members of the Government's advisory board are associated with ATSISPEP; (e) could the Minister please advise on the amount of funding received by this programme (i.e. the ATSISPEP), per financial year, since 2014-15 FY (inclusive); (f) from the 2014-15 FY, how has the Government monitored the performance of the ATSISPEP regarding Aboriginal suicide prevention: (i) would the Minister please table the review(s) and evaluation(s) of the ATSISPEP for the same time-frame; (g) in the context of Indigenous suicide prevention, with what external or additional expertise is the Government engaging; (h) is
there a separation of ‘expert advisers’ and those that are receiving the funding: (i) could the Minister please offer a rationale to his answer to (h); (i) could the Minister please explain the roles and responsibilities, at the community level, for indigenous communities working towards suicide prevention: (i) how has the Government determined that the roles/responsibilities, referred to at (i), are economically and logistically-achievable by those communities; (j) can the Minister please explain what the Government is doing to ensure that there is workforce capacity capable of delivering suicide prevention programs in Indigenous communities: (i) in terms of labour/employment; and (ii) in terms of the skills within that labour-force; (k) would the Minister please provide a rationale for the allocation of funding between different aspects or locations of this programme; (l) would the Minister please table a breakdown of the funding or provide estimates to this end; (m) is the Minister aware that there is only one culturally and clinically-validated screening tools for Aboriginal people at risk in Australia: the Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist (WASC) (Y- youth, or A- adult): (i) if no to (m), may I request the Minister avails himself with a briefing on the WASC-Y/A; and (ii) can the Minister please provide reasoning on why the Government, having overlooked existing clinically-validated programmes, chose to invent their own programme without any medical or cultural review, validation or accountability; and (n) can the Minster please explain the way in which the overall suicide prevention programme aligns or interacts with the existing 'Close The Gap' campaign and its targets?
is the Government currently gathering to demonstrate programs are preventing
suicide; and (iv) given the large amount of funding, how is the Government ensuring accountability; (d) could the Minister please confirm how many members of the Government's advisory board are associated with ATSISPEP; (e) could the Minister please advise on the amount of funding received by this programme (i.e. the ATSISPEP), per financial year, since 2014-15 FY (inclusive); (f) from the 2014-15 FY, how has the Government monitored the performance of the ATSISPEP regarding Aboriginal suicide prevention: (i) would the Minister please table the review(s) and evaluation(s) of the ATSISPEP for the same time-frame; (g) in the context of Indigenous suicide prevention, with what external or additional expertise is the Government engaging; (h) is
there a separation of ‘expert advisers’ and those that are receiving the funding: (i) could the Minister please offer a rationale to his answer to (h); (i) could the Minister please explain the roles and responsibilities, at the community level, for indigenous communities working towards suicide prevention: (i) how has the Government determined that the roles/responsibilities, referred to at (i), are economically and logistically-achievable by those communities; (j) can the Minister please explain what the Government is doing to ensure that there is workforce capacity capable of delivering suicide prevention programs in Indigenous communities: (i) in terms of labour/employment; and (ii) in terms of the skills within that labour-force; (k) would the Minister please provide a rationale for the allocation of funding between different aspects or locations of this programme; (l) would the Minister please table a breakdown of the funding or provide estimates to this end; (m) is the Minister aware that there is only one culturally and clinically-validated screening tools for Aboriginal people at risk in Australia: the Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist (WASC) (Y- youth, or A- adult): (i) if no to (m), may I request the Minister avails himself with a briefing on the WASC-Y/A; and (ii) can the Minister please provide reasoning on why the Government, having overlooked existing clinically-validated programmes, chose to invent their own programme without any medical or cultural review, validation or accountability; and (n) can the Minster please explain the way in which the overall suicide prevention programme aligns or interacts with the existing 'Close The Gap' campaign and its targets?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 September 2020
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
9 days
I am advised:
(a) The guiding principles of the Western Australian Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy are: Nothing for Aboriginal people without Aboriginal people; Aboriginal-led solutions; and, cultural understanding and respect. The regional plans will be place-based plans led by Aboriginal communities and stakeholders in each region, therefore specific programs are yet to be identified.
When selected, programs will be required to include outcome evaluation to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness.
(a)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (a).
(b)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (a).
(c)(i)-(iv) The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the current state-wide suicide prevention strategy Suicide Prevention 2020: Together we can save lives (Suicide Prevention 2020) has demonstrated the effectiveness of programs funded under the strategy. There is an ongoing evaluation process in place for Suicide Prevention 2020, which includes program-level evaluation that contributes to a broader evaluation of its effectiveness.
A similar ongoing evaluation plan will be put in place for the Suicide Prevention Framework 2021-2025, which will assess the effectiveness of funded programs and will ensure respective accountability.
(d) As there are a number of boards to which this could refer, could the Member please clarify which board/s they are referring to?
(e) Funding for ATSISPEP was provided by the Federal Government.
(f)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (e).
(g) As per the guiding principles in (a), the State Government will be engaging with a number of Aboriginal leaders and experts in the field of Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
(h)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (a).
(i)(i) As per the media statement, the work that will be undertaken is bound by the guiding principles outlined in (a), which will require the Government to work with local/regional Aboriginal communities and stakeholders to determine roles and responsibilities. This approach will allow for cultural considerations and for cultural authority to be respected.
(j)(i)-(ii) The government requires that organisations funded to deliver suicide prevention programs or initiatives have a workforce with the prerequisite capacity and capability.
(k) Specific funding is yet to be allocated as the Western Australian Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy and attendant regional plans are still in development.
(l) Not applicable; as per response to (k).
(m)(i)-(ii) The Minister is aware of the work that has been undertaken by Professor Tracy Westerman in the development of the Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist. As per the response to (a), specific programs are yet to be identified, developed, or implemented.
(n)Target 14 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap states a “Significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people towards zero”. It is anticipated that the outcomes achieved as part of the Western Australian Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy will support and contribute to achieving this target.
(a) The guiding principles of the Western Australian Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy are: Nothing for Aboriginal people without Aboriginal people; Aboriginal-led solutions; and, cultural understanding and respect. The regional plans will be place-based plans led by Aboriginal communities and stakeholders in each region, therefore specific programs are yet to be identified.
When selected, programs will be required to include outcome evaluation to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness.
(a)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (a).
(b)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (a).
(c)(i)-(iv) The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the current state-wide suicide prevention strategy Suicide Prevention 2020: Together we can save lives (Suicide Prevention 2020) has demonstrated the effectiveness of programs funded under the strategy. There is an ongoing evaluation process in place for Suicide Prevention 2020, which includes program-level evaluation that contributes to a broader evaluation of its effectiveness.
A similar ongoing evaluation plan will be put in place for the Suicide Prevention Framework 2021-2025, which will assess the effectiveness of funded programs and will ensure respective accountability.
(d) As there are a number of boards to which this could refer, could the Member please clarify which board/s they are referring to?
(e) Funding for ATSISPEP was provided by the Federal Government.
(f)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (e).
(g) As per the guiding principles in (a), the State Government will be engaging with a number of Aboriginal leaders and experts in the field of Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
(h)(i) Not applicable; as per response to (a).
(i)(i) As per the media statement, the work that will be undertaken is bound by the guiding principles outlined in (a), which will require the Government to work with local/regional Aboriginal communities and stakeholders to determine roles and responsibilities. This approach will allow for cultural considerations and for cultural authority to be respected.
(j)(i)-(ii) The government requires that organisations funded to deliver suicide prevention programs or initiatives have a workforce with the prerequisite capacity and capability.
(k) Specific funding is yet to be allocated as the Western Australian Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy and attendant regional plans are still in development.
(l) Not applicable; as per response to (k).
(m)(i)-(ii) The Minister is aware of the work that has been undertaken by Professor Tracy Westerman in the development of the Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist. As per the response to (a), specific programs are yet to be identified, developed, or implemented.
(n)Target 14 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap states a “Significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people towards zero”. It is anticipated that the outcomes achieved as part of the Western Australian Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy will support and contribute to achieving this target.
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