Development of a universal aftercare model for people who have presented to the emergency department for a suicidal crisis in WA

Telethon Kids Institute Team: Dr Nicole Hill, Dr Kate Chitty, Ayesha D'Souza, Sara Heinamaa, Prof Peter Gething, A/Prof Dan Weiss, Dr Camilo Vargas, Dr Samantha Speirs

University of Western Australia Team: Prof Pat Dudgeon, Dr Ee Pin Chang, Ms Megan Krakouer

Project Description:

Aftercare is the care, treatment, help or supervision a person and/or their carers receives after a suicidal crisis. It is a holistic response, led by individuals’ circumstances in their social, emotional, and wider health context that addresses the factors needed to stabilise people’s lives and prevent further crises.

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) of Western Australia has provided funding to Telethon Kids Institute to undertake an exploratory community consultation to inform a WA approach to aftercare for people who have presented to the emergency department for a suicidal crisis. A suicidal crisis refers to people who have experienced a suicide attempt, engaged in self-harm or who have thoughts of suicide.

We are conducting a widespread community-based engagement in the form of an audit of exiting aftercare providers and services, surveys, one-on-one interviews and focus groups to understand what aftercare in WA currently looks like, and importantly, what changes need to be made to provide the best care for people that have experienced a suicidal crisis.

One-on-one interviews will occur between Feb 15^th to April 30^th 2023 with team members from Telethon Kids Institute. Consultations with Aboriginal West Australians will be occurring in person with team members from the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Western Australia.

For further information please direct your queries to: suicideprevention@telethonkids.org.au

Funders: Mental Health Comission of Western Australia