Suicide Prevention Australia: We are pleased to announce Ms Sue Murray, Chief Executive Officer , Suicide Prevention Australia as a Keynote Speaker at The 17th International Mental Health Conference.
The 2016 two day Conference will be held at Sea World Resort Conference Centre on the Gold Coast, 11 -12 August 2016.
Sue Murray will be presenting ‘Towards a National Suicide Prevention Strategy’.
For decades there has been significant effort made by national and state governments to invest in programs and services that could reduce suicides in Australia. Sadly this has been to little avail. The numbers of people dying by suicide have remained stubbornly stagnant. In some age groups, such as young people, where the numbers and rates have been lowered there has been little understanding of what contributed to the downturn due to lack of formal measurement and evaluation.
The review undertaken by the National Mental Health Commission clearly stated that approaches to suicide prevention have been piecemeal, lacked leadership and coordination and have not put the person at the centre of decision making and delivery of programs and services.
The need for reform to achieve meaningful outcomes in reducing the incidence of suicide in Australia is long overdue. The opportunity to bring about such major reform must begin with the development of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
While mental health promotion, prevention and improved treatment will at a population level contribute to a reduction in suicidal behaviours and suicides, the behavioural aspects of suicide are more complicated than can be addressed through attention to mental health disorders and recovery alone.
Building a national strategy requires national leadership, coordination and accountability. The National Coalition for Suicide Prevention Australia remains firm in its call to set a target of reducing suicides in Australia by 50% within the next decade.
With a background in education and specialty in health promotion Sue has been a passionate advocate for improving the health and well being of the community throughout her career. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the community sector and held positions with responsibility for education, media, communications, fundraising and organisational leadership.
After 10 years leading the National Breast Cancer Foundation where she positioned the organisation as one of the most highly recognised in the community sector and raised more than $100 million for breast cancer research, Sue moved to build on her experience to create the George Foundation for Global Health. Currently she is meeting the challenge of building community participation in suicide prevention as the CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia.
Sue is Chair of Macquarie Community College, a director of Charities Aid Foundation, a former director of Research Australia, a graduate of the AICD and a member of both the Advisory Council for the Centre for Social Impact and Chief Executive Women.
Suicide prevention will be discussed at the 17th International Mental Health Conference; Guiding the Change. The Conference will be held at the brand new Sea World Resort Conference Centre on the Gold Coast from the 11 -12 August 2016. CLICK HERE to register your attendance.
This conference brings together leading clinical practitioners, academics and service providers and the program will challenge, inspire and facilitate discussion. CLICK HERE To view the Program.