Cairns mental health: Support groups on hand as Far North hit hard by suicide

Far North Queenslanders are dying suddenly at an alarming rate as a crisis sweeps the state. A leading support group is reaching out to families impacted by the loss of loved ones to suicide.

WITH three Far Northern regions listed in the state’s top 12 suicide hot spots a leading support group is reaching out to families impacted by the loss of loved ones.

The east Tablelands region encompassing the towns of Kuranda, Speewah and Koah accounted for the third highest suicide rate in Queensland behind the Burnett and outback south regions. Between 2005 and 2019 52 suicide deaths were reported – a rate of 26.9 per 100,000.

Queensland Health will start sending more mental health nurses, psychologists and social workers in ambulances to respond to calls for help from people suffering a mental health crisis.

The “mental first aid’’ teams, who accompany paramedics to emergencies, were trialled in Brisbane this year, working from 8am to midnight.

But they will be deployed around-the-clock next year, and the service will be expanded to Cairns, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast.

The Kuranda, Speewah and Koah areas accounted for the third highest suicide rate in Queensland.

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StandBy Support After Suicide general manager Karen Phillips said a single death impacted the lives of extended family members, friends, work colleagues and neighbours.

“We understand that the grief that follows suicide is complex, and that from one suicide up to 135 people may be impacted,” she said.

“Those that are bereaved or impacted by suicide are at a greater risk of suicide themselves, and our focus is to provide a range of supports to anyone that may be impacted, including emotional and practical supports to young people, children, schools and workplaces.

“StandBy has been proudly supporting families, loved ones, witnesses, first responders and communities impacted by suicide for almost two decades, together we partner with organisations, local communities and well respected service providers such as UnitingCare in North Queensland.”

In the Cairns North area 60 people lost their lives to suicide and 109 people in the Cairns South area died at their own hand between 2015 and 2019.

Added up, the 135 people impacted by each suicide death equates to 300,000 Australians that in some way are touched by people taking their own lives.

StandBy is Australia’s largest provider of support after suicide, offering free face-to-face or telephone support to anyone bereaved or impacted by suicide.

StandBy also provides free education workshops to build capacity within communities to support one another and prevent further suicides.

To find out more about StandBy Support After Suicide visit the website or call 0407 490 005 for North Queensland support.

If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, please seek help immediately by calling triple-0, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

Originally published as Cairns mental health: Support groups on hand as Far North hit hard by suicide