A pledge to provide a coordinated approach to suicide prevention in the region has been made with the signing of a formal statement of commitment by a number of community groups and services.
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Organisations and services including the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN), the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, the Department of Education and the New South Wales Police signed onto the statement, which aims to structure an approach to suicide prevention and postvention support across the region.
Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Riverina Michael McCormack also signed onto the statement and he said a coordinated approach was critical to reduce suicide rates in the region.
"Suicide, and indeed, a critical incident where a life has been lost or significantly altered, impacts not only a family, but in our small rural towns, the whole community," Mr McCormack said.
"It is my hope that these efforts will eventually lead to reduction in suicide rates across the region.
"I would like to applaud each of the members and organisations who have been working tirelessly as part of the round-table [committee] to develop a set of processes for supporting these communities in such difficult times."
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MPHN chief executive officer Melissa Neal said the commitment will focus on improving three key areas identified by a number of round-table discussions held over the course of the last year and steps had already been taken by the organisation to help achieve those areas.
"These needs were to build community capacity to identify people in need of support and how best to support them; to build awareness around what local supports are available to encourage help-seeking behaviours and finally to develop a coordinated response to communities impacted by suicide or other critical incident," Ms Neal said.
"In May of this year, under the guidance of the group, MPHN launched a mental health and suicide resources page to help both communities and businesses in how they support local mental health, well-being and suicide prevention and to help promote positive messages and safe language around these topics."
If you, or anyone you know is suffering from depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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