World Suicide Prevention Day

Organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention, World Suicide Prevention Day provides the opportunity for people across the globe to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. Access resources and find out more here: World Suicide Prevention Day #WSPD2021

In their Social Justice Sunday Statement 2020-2021 To Live Life to the Full: Mental Health in Australia, the Catholic Bishops say they are:

... deeply saddened that over 3,000 people are lost to suicide each year and that young people aged 15 to 24 years of age are most vulnerable. This is a growing problem. It accounts for around one third of deaths among people in this age group, with around 90 per cent of victims experiencing mental ill-health.[i]

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[i] Productivity Commission, 2019, 14; J Robinson, E Bailey, V Browne, G Cox & C Hooper, Raising the bar for youth suicide prevention, Victoria: Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, 2016, 10f.

Action

In To Live Life to the Full the Bishops call on Catholic people and communities to “promote the fullness of life for all” by ensuring “appropriate care for everyone experiencing mental ill-health” by :

• rejecting stigmatisation,

• working for the transformation of social determinants of mental ill-health,

• calling for policies and service provision that meet the needs of the poorest, most marginalised and recognise in them the face of Christ Jesus.

Today is a good day to find out about suicide prevention services in your local area. Does your household, parish, school or organisation know how to help people experiencing thoughts of suicide to access support?

Get Help

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467