Governance and support
Project governance overview
The Project was located at the School of Indigenous Studies in partnership with The Kids Research Institute.
The senior management team consisted of Professor Jill Milroy AM, Professor Pat Dudgeon and Dr Tom Calma AO, who provided direction to the Project.
Professor Pat Dudgeon lead the Project and the Project management team consisting of the Project Leader, Associate Professor Roz Walker, the Project Executive Officer and the Senior Indigenous Research Consultant, who were responsible for day-to-day management to ensure the achievement of Project objectives.
Organisation chart
National Advisory Committee
A National Advisory Committee met midway through the Project to give expert advice.
It was envisaged that this committee would be the forerunner of a national alliance bringing together key stakeholders, community organisations and experts to develop actions to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention is addressed in a sustainable way. A model for this is the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Native American/Alaska Native Taskforce) in the United States.
It was expected that membership would include representatives of the:
- Project Senior Management Team
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health group (NATSILMH)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Advisory Group (ATSIMHSPAG)
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
- National Healing Foundation
- National Children’s Commissioner (Australian Human Rights Commission)
- Suicide Prevention Australia
- Social Determinants of Health Alliance
- Menzies School of Health Research
- BeyondBlue
- Supportlink National
- Black Dog Institute
- Black Rainbow (LGBTQ peak body)
- State and territory mental health commissions
- Consumers.
Support organisations
Considerable research has been undertaken on the subject of suicide, and suicide prevention is a high priority for the community and the government.
Suicide is a personal and social tragedy and often difficult to speak about. It is essential that communities and individuals have access to supportive information and good research.
Project collaborators
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project was undertaken by UWA's School of Indigenous Studies in collaboration with The Kids Research Institute and The Healing Foundation.
The Kids Research Institute provided expertise in research and evaluation activities and lead Phases 1 and 2 of the project:
- conducting systematic reviews of Suicide Prevention programs and services;
- analysis of literature and data;
- mapping the prevalence of suicides and self-harm;
- and developing a culturally appropriate Evaluation Framework.
The Healing Foundation provided in-kind and financial support for the project, hosting the national thematic roundtables in Canberra and supporting the program of community consultations.
Related organisations
Key organisations working in the area of Suicide Prevention and, in particular, the incidence of suicide and self-harm amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, are detailed below:
- Suicide Prevention Australia
- National Mental Health Commission
- Western Australian Mental Health Commission
- Lifeline
- Beyond Blue
Related research
A range of important research material and public reports on the rates and trends in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide and self-harm, are listed below: