NACCHO working together with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations to prevent suicides
30 Apr 2025
NACCHO working together with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations to prevent suicides
World Suicide Prevention Day
World
Suicide Prevention Day across the globe provides a unique opportunity to
collectively emphasise the importance of suicide prevention measures within our
communities. The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
(NACCHO) supports the national action on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
mental illness and suicide prevention.
Acting
NACCHO Chair, Donnella Mills says, “NACCHO welcomes the Government’s commitment
and national actions towards reducing suicide rates and improving mental health
outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“Mental
health and suicide remain one of our top priorities as research shows that
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 2.7 times more likely to
experience high levels of psychological distress than other Australians. The attempted
suicides are almost twice the rate of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
population and they are missing out on the much-needed mental health services.
“Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health Organisations are best placed to be the preferred
providers of mental health, social and emotional wellbeing, and
suicide-prevention activities in their communities. They need to be adequately
resourced to develop community-led solutions that consider issues from a social
and emotional perspective and provide appropriate solutions to prevention.
“Harnessing
this global momentum on World Suicide Prevention Day is critical to ensure
productive and meaningful solutions are put in place to drive suicide rates
down. We will continue to advocate for
appropriate funding to ensure community-led solutions to arrest suicide.”
In
March 2019, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), the Royal
Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) and NACCHO called
on the Prime Minister to make tackling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
youth suicides a national health priority.
For media enquiries contact Marlee Silva on marlee.silva@coxinallridgeway.com.au or 0431876738
