A NEW suicide prevention coordinator for the South West is likely to be appointed by the end of July, according to St John of God Community Alcohol and Drug Service South West manager Jon Farr.
Last week the WA Minister for Mental Health Andrea Mitchell announced the state government would provide funding for the role which was one of seven in WA.
The $3.5 million initiative is part of the government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy 2020 which aims to reduce the number of suicides in WA by 50 per cent over the next decade.
Mr Farr said the new coordinator would be based in Bunbury and engage with local community groups to promote health services and suicide agencies throughout region.
He said part of the role was to make sure people knew how to access the services that were available in their community.
”Local response units will be trying to determine the access to care for individuals and looking at training for individuals to identify suicide or people who may be experiencing things associated to suicide,” he said.
"It is about making a coordinated response to training, access to care and coordinating a response by other organisations following a suicide.
“It looks at how everything fits together and how it can be accessed in a more timely and responsive way.”
Vasse MP Libby Mettam said often the issue was that services were available in the community but people were unsure where to go for assistance.
“While there is a range of support services available for people in crisis, this new position will increase the capacity of communities to identify and respond to suicide and related mental health issues as well as to promote suicide prevention services and initiatives” she said.
South West MLC Adele Farina said the announcement does not go far enough to helping the South West.
“It has been more than 12 months since the Premier launched the Suicide Prevention 2020 Strategy,” she said.
“We are now one quarter of the way through the strategy and this position still hasn’t been filled.
“The people of the South West were promised a sub-acute mental health facility that has not been delivered and we were promised a targeted youth mental health service that has yet to eventuate,” she said.
If you or someone you know needs help please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.