❓ Hon Alison Xamon asks about the implementation of the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Steering Committee report. The Premier responds by outlining existing strategies and funding initiatives addressing Aboriginal mental health and suicide prevention.
AnsweredQoN 782Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL
SUICIDE PREVENTION STEERING COMMITTEE — REPORT
782. Hon
ALISON XAMON to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I refer to the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Steering
Committee report ''Working Together'', which provides
recommendations for across-government and inter-sectoral universal prevention
initiatives to promote wellbeing and resilience and to reduce self-harm and
suicide among Aboriginal youth.
(1) Does the government intend to enact the policy framework
recommended in the report?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to
(1), please provide some information on how the report's
recommendations will be acted upon.
(4) What are the proposed time
frames for any action on the report's recommendations?
SUICIDE PREVENTION STEERING COMMITTEE — REPORT
782. Hon
ALISON XAMON to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I refer to the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Steering
Committee report ''Working Together'', which provides
recommendations for across-government and inter-sectoral universal prevention
initiatives to promote wellbeing and resilience and to reduce self-harm and
suicide among Aboriginal youth.
(1) Does the government intend to enact the policy framework
recommended in the report?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to
(1), please provide some information on how the report's
recommendations will be acted upon.
(4) What are the proposed time
frames for any action on the report's recommendations?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(4)
The Minister for Mental Health, the Mental Health Commissioner and the chair of
the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention have considered the ''Working
Together'' paper by the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Steering Committee
from 2001 and its proposed outcomes were largely reflected in the development
of the ''Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2009–13''.
The strategy is aligned with the
national Living is for Everyone framework and has an emphasis on supporting
at-risk groups including Aboriginal communities, young men, people in prisons,
homeless young people and regional communities. A wide range of activities are
being progressed. For example, the state government recently announced funding
of over $900 000 for two new community action plans in the Kimberley under the
Western Australian suicide prevention strategy. These two suicide prevention
plans—designed, owned and run by communities across the Kimberley—will
deliver empowerment, healing and leadership programs to the Kimberley's
people. These community action plans include programs that are targeted at
Aboriginal people and are derived from a traditional Aboriginal cultural
perspective. Each community had unique ideas on how to prevent suicide and
promote mental wellbeing. The ownership by local community members and
development of their leadership is essential to deliver unique suicide
prevention plans because they achieve greater success and sustainable outcomes.
In addition, in signing the
National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health
Outcomes, the commonwealth and the state and territory governments committed
$117.43 million each for 2009–10 to 2013–14 to help close
health inequalities between Aboriginal people and the general population.
As part of the Western Australian
implementation plan, the state government has committed a total of $22.47 million
over four years through the Mental Health Commission to establish the
State-wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service. This program, the first
of its kind in Australia, seeks to provide specialist clinical interventions
for Aboriginal people across Western Australia with severe and persistent
mental illnesses. Over the past three
years, the SSAMHS program has worked towards the development of 88 new
positions for Aboriginal people to be trained as mental health workers. To
date, over 70 positions have been filled. A number of Aboriginal mental health
staff are undertaking external studies to build knowledge and skills in
delivering specialist mental health care to the Aboriginal communities of
Western Australia. There is a strong focus on children and young people,
especially in preventing the onset of serious mental illness.
(1)–(4)
The Minister for Mental Health, the Mental Health Commissioner and the chair of
the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention have considered the ''Working
Together'' paper by the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Steering Committee
from 2001 and its proposed outcomes were largely reflected in the development
of the ''Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2009–13''.
The strategy is aligned with the
national Living is for Everyone framework and has an emphasis on supporting
at-risk groups including Aboriginal communities, young men, people in prisons,
homeless young people and regional communities. A wide range of activities are
being progressed. For example, the state government recently announced funding
of over $900 000 for two new community action plans in the Kimberley under the
Western Australian suicide prevention strategy. These two suicide prevention
plans—designed, owned and run by communities across the Kimberley—will
deliver empowerment, healing and leadership programs to the Kimberley's
people. These community action plans include programs that are targeted at
Aboriginal people and are derived from a traditional Aboriginal cultural
perspective. Each community had unique ideas on how to prevent suicide and
promote mental wellbeing. The ownership by local community members and
development of their leadership is essential to deliver unique suicide
prevention plans because they achieve greater success and sustainable outcomes.
In addition, in signing the
National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health
Outcomes, the commonwealth and the state and territory governments committed
$117.43 million each for 2009–10 to 2013–14 to help close
health inequalities between Aboriginal people and the general population.
As part of the Western Australian
implementation plan, the state government has committed a total of $22.47 million
over four years through the Mental Health Commission to establish the
State-wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service. This program, the first
of its kind in Australia, seeks to provide specialist clinical interventions
for Aboriginal people across Western Australia with severe and persistent
mental illnesses. Over the past three
years, the SSAMHS program has worked towards the development of 88 new
positions for Aboriginal people to be trained as mental health workers. To
date, over 70 positions have been filled. A number of Aboriginal mental health
staff are undertaking external studies to build knowledge and skills in
delivering specialist mental health care to the Aboriginal communities of
Western Australia. There is a strong focus on children and young people,
especially in preventing the onset of serious mental illness.
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