Funded by the Victorian Government and Australian Government through the Eastern Melbourne Primary health Network (EMPHN), LifeConnect provides a range of suicide prevention activities that aim to build the capacity of the community to identify and respond appropriately to risk of suicide, as well support for people who have been bereaved by suicide.
The service supports the Victorian suicide prevention framework 2016-2025 and was informed by a series of consultations with service providers, community members and people with lived experience of the impact of suicide.
Neami National CEO Tom Dalton said, “LifeConnect will take a proactive approach, working with communities to build capacity to talk about suicide as well as working with the community and health sector to ensure people get the support they need.”
Suicide prevention activities delivered as part of the service include:
- Wellbeing workshops to help participants develop strategies to improve wellbeing, resilience, and capacity to self-manage.
- The Optimal Health Program (OHP), an eight-week group-based program that supports people to manage their health and wellbeing.
- Community and workforce capacity building to assist health professionals and members of the community in identifying and managing risk of suicide.
- Development of processes with hospitals and other health services to help people get the support they need.
- Communications activities to promote help seeking and reduce stigma.
Bereavement services provide support to families and others who have been bereaved by suicide, including:
- Individual counselling.
- Group support.
- Community debriefing and support response after a suicide.
- Clinical and non-clinical care coordination.
People who live, work or study in the Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (EMPHN) catchment can access LifeConnect services.
For more information or to make a referral, call 1300 052 590 or email lifeconnect@neaminational.org.au