Approach to the Issue of Youth Suicide and Attempted Suicide in Western Australia (From Preventing Youth Suicide, P 53-72, 1992, Sandra McKillop, ed. - See NCJ-139013)

• NCJ Number: 139016
• Author(s): B Hart
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

The Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force was formed in Western Australia to develop a strategy for identifying adolescents at risk of committing suicide.

Abstract

The task force was comprised of representatives from the Ministries of Education, Community Services, Police, and Health, and non-governmental youth agencies. The Minister of Community Services requested the task force to prepare a position paper on proposals to combat youth suicide. The process by which the task force was established demonstrated several strategies: politics, the media, and teamwork. Although funds were allocated to implement the recommendations contained in the report, State elections interfered with any immediate action. However some programs, including seminars and day workshops, were carried out at the local level. Five Statewide working groups were then established to oversee implementation of the recommendations; they covered liaison, service delivery, suicide and the law, research, and education. In addition, an after-hours social work service was provided at the main teaching hospitals in Western Australia. Future work will focus on identifying at-risk young people, developing new approaches to intervention, and creating primary prevention programs. 42 references and 3 appendixes