In the 2016 State Budget, the Government increased its investment in suicide prevention through a $9.6 million Suicide Prevention in Health Services Initiative.
The Initiative forms an integral part of the plan for Queensland’s State-funded mental health, alcohol and other drug services, Connecting care to recovery 2016–2021 and will significantly contribute to outcomes of the Queensland Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2015–17 as part of a coordinated state-wide approach.
Queensland Suicide Prevention Health Taskforce
Included in the Initiative was the establishment of the Queensland Suicide Prevention Health Taskforce as a partnership between the Department of Health, Hospital and Health Services and the Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to ensure a comprehensive cross-sectoral approach to suicide prevention in health services.
The Taskforce was established in August 2016 to focus on the development of suicide prevention policy, strategies, services, and programs to be used in health service delivery in order to contribute to a measureable reduction in suicide and its impact on Queenslanders.
The Queensland Mental Health Commissioner is a member of the Taskforce.
The Taskforce has released a Phase 1 Action Plan (PDF, 1677 KB) identifying three priority areas:
- Skills development and support
- Evidence based treatment and care
- Pathways to care within and outside specialist mental health services.
