The 2018 Australian Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium will be held next month over 15-17 October at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, Tasmania.
Joining us at the conference is Ms Clare Jones, Project Officer at Everymind who will present on ‘Suicide Prevention: A regional approach to implementing Mindframe’.
Abstract
Rates of suicide in Australia are higher in rural and remote areas than in major cities, they increase as locations become more remote and are increasing at a higher rate than those in capital cities.1, 2 Persons in rural and remote areas consume more media than those in larger cities including their local news, state and nation news and that received on social media.
It is well documented that there are key differences between Australian Capital Cities and its rural and remote regions such as lifestyle factors, social determinants of health and health outcomes3. Therefore, it is key that, in reaching and supporting rural and regional communities, the differences and needs within regional and rural communities are recognised and accounted for.
Since 2002, Mindframe, managed by Everymind, has been providing comprehensive national guidance and education on the responsible, accurate and sensitive portrayal of suicide and mental illness in mass communications.
Mindframe recognises the unique needs of regional, rural and remote Australia in regards to suicide prevention and works with communities on key messaging and safe communications about suicide and suicide prevention. Mindframe does this through various methods of applying and disseminating evidence-based guidelines and working with local media and connecting with the suicide prevention sector more broadly. This presentation will demonstrate, through the use of case studies, how Mindframe supports regional communities with safe messaging about suicide.
1.Australian Bureau of Statistics, (2017), 3303_0 Causes of Death, Australia, 2016.
2.Torrens University, (2016), Deaths from suicide and self-inflicted injuries, persons aged 0 to 74 yea rs, 2010 to 2014.
3.Hazell T, Dalton H, Caton T, Perkins D (2017) Rural Suicide and its Prevention:a CRRMH position paper. Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Australia.
Key Learnings:
1. Understand the importance of safe and accurate reporting and communication about suicide.
2. Understand the unique nature of messaging for suicide prevention in rural and remote areas .
3. Understand Mindframe guidelines and methadology and how this is applied to benefit rural and remote areas.
Biography
Sara Bartlett has been with Everymind since 2009. Sara is the Project Lead within the Suicide Prevention program, Mindframe where she provides leadership in project delivery including project planning, development, implementation and evaluation. Sara has also been involved in additional project areas, including the development of a framework for mental health and wellbeing promotion, prevention of mental ill-health, and child and youth mental health. Sara holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours), majoring in Policy and Sociology from the University of New South Wales. Previously, Sara has held research and policy positions in health at state and federal government levels.
For more information on the upcoming 2018 Australian Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium please visit anzmh.asn.au/rrmh
