❓ Question regarding the government's response to a series of suicides in the Kimberley region, specifically seeking details about a meeting held to address the crisis and the actions taken. The answer details meeting attendees, the WA Suicide Prevention Strategy, Community Action Plans, funding allocated to mental health services and community organisations, and ongoing meetings.
AnsweredQoN 3713Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to your Ministerial statement regarding the 11 people who recently took their own lives in the Kimberley, and your subsequent meeting with State Managers from the Department of Health and Ageing; the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Mental Health Commissioner to discuss immediate actions to be put in place on the ground, and to ensure that the State is providing all necessary culturally appropriate support to the people affected, and ask -
(1) Where was the meeting held, and when?
(2) Which officers attended the meeting and which Departments did they represent?
(3) What were the action outcomes from the meeting, and the timeframe for implementation?
(1) Where was the meeting held, and when?
(2) Which officers attended the meeting and which Departments did they represent?
(3) What were the action outcomes from the meeting, and the timeframe for implementation?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 May 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
62 days
(1-3) The meeting referred to in my Ministerial Statement was held on Monday 21 February 2011 in my ministerial office and was one of a series of meetings in relation to suicide prevention in the Kimberley. The attendees were:
The Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services, Hon Helen Morton MLC
Eddie Bartnik (Mental Health Commission)
Nicole O'Keefe (Department of Health and Ageing)
Richard Aspinall (Department of Family, Housing; Community Services and Indigenous Affairs)
Dawn FitzGerald, Rosie Keely and Sarah Quinton (Ministerial Staff)
The Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy (WASPS) is a state-wide strategy and through this, effective and appropriate suicide prevention initiatives are being developed and rolled out after extensive consultation with a range of Western Australian (WA) communities.
The State Government has committed to develop and implement in excess of 50 sustainable and individualised Community Actions Plans (CAPs) across 50 communities and 50 organisations in WA. The CAPs are community created and driven and it is planned that all 50 CAPs will be implemented at various stages over the next 2 years.
In relation to the issue of the tragic suicide deaths that have occurred in the Kimberley region recently, I have had a number of regular meetings, multi-agency telephone calls and correspondence with the Commonwealth Departments of Health and Ageing; Families; Housing; Community Services; and Indigenous Affairs as part of the Remote Services Delivery partnership in the Kimberley.
A number of these meetings and discussions have included the Mental Health Commissioner, representatives from
t
he Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC), Kinway and people that I know and have worked with previously from the Billard community.
The State Government, through the Mental Health Commission, and the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) have provided $560,000 to strengthen and support the number of mental health professionals in the East and West Kimberley regions. The additional temporary positions include five staff at the Kimberley Regional Mental Health and Drug Service; three to Kinway for the regional Standby Suicide Response Strategy; two at the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service; and one at the Derby Aboriginal Health Service.
The KAMSC are receiving $800,000 to fund four community co-ordinators to work in the Wyndham and East Kimberley region; Fitzroy Crossing and West Kimberley; Broome; Derby; and Halls Creek for an initial 12 months to develop Community Action Plans (CAPs) to suicide-proof communities.
In addition, weekly meetings with the executive of the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) and One Life representatives are being conducted in my ministerial office and members of my ministerial staff and I attend monthly MCSP meetings.
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The Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services, Hon Helen Morton MLC
Eddie Bartnik (Mental Health Commission)
Nicole O'Keefe (Department of Health and Ageing)
Richard Aspinall (Department of Family, Housing; Community Services and Indigenous Affairs)
Dawn FitzGerald, Rosie Keely and Sarah Quinton (Ministerial Staff)
The Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy (WASPS) is a state-wide strategy and through this, effective and appropriate suicide prevention initiatives are being developed and rolled out after extensive consultation with a range of Western Australian (WA) communities.
The State Government has committed to develop and implement in excess of 50 sustainable and individualised Community Actions Plans (CAPs) across 50 communities and 50 organisations in WA. The CAPs are community created and driven and it is planned that all 50 CAPs will be implemented at various stages over the next 2 years.
In relation to the issue of the tragic suicide deaths that have occurred in the Kimberley region recently, I have had a number of regular meetings, multi-agency telephone calls and correspondence with the Commonwealth Departments of Health and Ageing; Families; Housing; Community Services; and Indigenous Affairs as part of the Remote Services Delivery partnership in the Kimberley.
A number of these meetings and discussions have included the Mental Health Commissioner, representatives from
t
he Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC), Kinway and people that I know and have worked with previously from the Billard community.
The State Government, through the Mental Health Commission, and the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) have provided $560,000 to strengthen and support the number of mental health professionals in the East and West Kimberley regions. The additional temporary positions include five staff at the Kimberley Regional Mental Health and Drug Service; three to Kinway for the regional Standby Suicide Response Strategy; two at the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service; and one at the Derby Aboriginal Health Service.
The KAMSC are receiving $800,000 to fund four community co-ordinators to work in the Wyndham and East Kimberley region; Fitzroy Crossing and West Kimberley; Broome; Derby; and Halls Creek for an initial 12 months to develop Community Action Plans (CAPs) to suicide-proof communities.
In addition, weekly meetings with the executive of the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) and One Life representatives are being conducted in my ministerial office and members of my ministerial staff and I attend monthly MCSP meetings.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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