South Australian suicide support prevention program ‘smashed’ by demand

A new pilot program that would train an army of “accidental counsellors” could help provide support to those living in rural and remote communities.

One of the state’s longest-serving suicide prevention programs has been “smashed” by demand, as latest suicide rates show the impact is felt equally across country towns and city suburbs, and the rich and the poor.

“Suicide does not discriminate,” said University of SA Professor Nicholas Procter, who heads the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Group.

Prof Procter is the only SA representative on the National Suicide Prevention Taskforce charged with developing a suicide prevention plan in response to COVID-19. The taskforce’s recommendations are due to reach Prime Minister Scott Morrison before Christmas.

Professor Nicholas Procter is the only SA representative on the National Suicide Prevention Taskforce charged with developing a suicide prevention plan in response to COVID-19. Picture: Mike Burton

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows almost 40 more South Australians died from suicide in 2019 than in 2018.

Suicide rates across the state’s local government areas (LGA) ranged from 17.6 per 100,000 people to 8.8. The highest and lowest rates were shared equally among regional and metropolitan council areas.

In suburban Adelaide, leafy green eastern suburbs and those more working class in the west were ranked side-by-side among the lowest.

The Advertiser has decided not to release the single annual suicide rates ranked by LGA upon advice from mental health experts.

“No two people at risk of suicide present with the same developmental histories, life trajectories, risk factors, or current situational stressors,” said Prof Procter, also director of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Group.

“That’s why compassionate and individualistic approaches to prevention is what is needed if we are to drive down the nation’s suicide rate,” he said.

Every effort, said Prof Procter, must be made by government and non-government agencies, the media and wider public to focus on education of the wide-ranging risk factors, warning signs and the need to obtain help sooner rather than later.

“We are missing opportunities to prevent people dying by suicide or attempting to take their own lives every day because we don’t intervene early enough. This needs to change.”

Suicide Prevention Australia CEO Neives Murray said we “can’t underestimate the impact that the events of COVID19 is having today and into the future”.

“COVID-19 has amplified the factors we know link with distress and suicide, including unemployment, housing insecurity and financial stress,” Ms Murray said.

“Fortunately, recent suicide deaths data in NSW and Victoria show that in contrast to some of the predictions, we are not seeing a spike in suicide rates in 2020.

“This means that the protective measures put in place by Governments across Australia are having an impact.

“Of course, we can’t be complacent. The next months and years will be challenging and that’s why we will work closely with Government and our members to ensure we continue to strengthen the suicide prevention and mental health systems,” Ms Murray said.

AnglicareSA suicide prevention and grief support manager Michael Traynor said understanding the unique triggers and stressors that can lead to a suicide attempt and then developing tailor-made plans to help eliminate or reduce them and the life skills to adapt, was known to help reduce further risk of another attempt.

AnglicareSA’s metropolitan Adelaide Suicide Prevention Service in July assisted 60 South Australians who have attempted suicide. The service runs at capacity with 45 clients.

“We were being smashed (after COVID-19) – we were well above capacity,” said Mr Traynor.

Demand stabilised in August and September, but is on the up again this month and expected to continue leading into Christmas.

A ‘personal history of self-harm’ was the most common psychosocial factor associated with suicide, reported in 17.5 per cent and 30.5 per cent of deaths by suicide for males and females, respectively.

More than 250 South Australians died by suicide last year – an average of seven men and two women each day.

‘I SUDDENLY REALISED I JUST CAN’T DO IT ALL’

Stephanie Schmidt lives at World’s End.

It’s a township 280km north of Adelaide just east of Goyder’s line – an invisible fence line, north of which crops struggle to thrive on less than 30mm of rain a year.

It’s been drought dry for three years, says Steph – a mum of three boys, aged 6, 3 and four months, running a household across three sheep and grain farms with her husband Simon.

Recent rain has meant a good harvest – which is happening right now.

But that bring stresses too, she says. She will be parenting solo while Simon works the fields.

Steph, 33, is a clinical psychologist who has spent years understanding the warning signs of poor mental health among higher-risk farmers.

She has been developing and running online workshops to build mental health resilience among farming communities.

Psychologist and mum of three boys Stephanie Schmidt at her farm in World's End. Picture: Alysha Sparks

So when she started noticing some well-read traits in her own behaviour about two weeks ago, she knew what to do.

“I’m experiencing post-natal depression,” she says.

“I suddenly realised I just can’t do it all. I was close to burn out, so I have had to take a step back and slow down.”

Steph has met with her GP and her psychologist (via telehealth) who is three-hour round trip from home.

Access to mental health specialists in rural and remote SA is one of the drivers behind a unique prevention program Steph is about to pilot in SA next year.

The 2020 SA AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award winner is aiming to train those “accidental counsellors”, such as bank managers, agronomists and accountants, who are the main community touchpoints for farmers and their families.

“The idea is to equip these accidental counsellors with simple skills in psychological flexibility so that they can share them in their daily interactions with farmers and small business owners,” says Steph.

They will then redirect their clients to a pool of online resources created by Steph, including how and where to find support.

She says the principal mental health barriers in rural and remote communities are identifying risk and behaviours, stigma preventing asking for help and then when support is sought, there can be a wait of many months to see a specialist.

“So the aim is to reduce demand at the pointy end by giving the community the tools to use everyday to improve their wellbeing and manage stress – it’s about building resilience.”

Originally published as South Australian suicide support prevention program ‘smashed’ by demand