An overview of the LifeSpan Framework

An effective and compassionate response when a person is at risk of suicide or attempts suicide is essential. Evidence suggests this involves a comprehensive assessment to gain an understanding of a person’s life circumstances and linking the person in with appropriate supports.

Peer-led approaches are emerging opportunities to improve the care available for people experiencing a suicidal crisis through mutual support.

Access to high quality follow-up care (also known as aftercare) is important in preventing suicide, recognising the risk of a further suicide attempt is high following discharge from hospital treatment after a suicide attempt.

Not all people who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition but access to high quality mental health support is an important strategy in preventing suicide.

Evidence-based treatments traditionally involve face-to-face therapeutic interventions with trained professionals or support groups, but there is emerging evidence for the benefits of digital platforms and apps and consistent safety planning.

Many people who die by suicide visit primary care services in the period before their death, but don’t often receive the right support.

Educating and building the capacity of general practitioners (GPs) and other primary care professionals is an important strategy for reducing suicide.

This includes being able to identify patients who may be in need, sensitively screen for thoughts of suicide, provide brief intervention and develop treatment plans.

Frontline workers often have contact with people in the community experiencing distress or thoughts of suicide — including but not limited to health services, police, paramedics and hospital staff.

Supporting frontline roles through knowledge, skills and debriefing support to compassionately respond to people experiencing distress or suicidal crisis, facilitate connections to support and promote safety is an essential strategy.

Supporting frontline workers also recognises they can be exposed to trauma and distressing situations in their work and are a vulnerable group in the community who need to be supported themselves.

School environments provide an effective way of reaching young people to prevent suicide and suicide attempts through the delivery of structured, evidence-based programs.

These programs should aim to improve mental health literacy, build the skills of young people to cope with adverse life events and stress, and promote help-seeking.

Training up community members (often known as ‘gatekeeper training’) is an essential strategy to equip people who in the community who are most likely to come into contact with people experiencing suicidal thoughts or distress.

Gatekeeper training is often available in a wide range of settings in local communities such as schools and universities, workplaces, community groups and sporting clubs.

Building a network of people in the community with gatekeeper training can help to identify when someone may be suicidal, to confidently and sensitively respond, and to persuade them to seek appropriate support.

While community awareness campaigns in isolation may not lead to changes in behaviour, they form an important strategy as part of a whole-of-community approach.

Campaigns aim to improve understanding of suicide and mental health challenges that people may experience themselves or they may recognise in others. Community engagement also helps to decrease stigma, build awareness of locally available services and supports, promote help-seeking and encourage people to get involved in suicide prevention efforts.

Responsible reporting about suicide in the media is an important strategy in reducing suicide rate and addressing stigma about suicide and help-seeking, while also avoiding inappropriate depictions of suicide that are known to lead to suicidal behaviour.

Encouraging responsible media reporting involves the promotion of resources and guidelines (such as Mindframe) that avoid sensationalising or normalising suicide, the use of stigmatising language and perpetuate myths about suicide.

Restricting or limiting access to the means of suicide can be one of the most effective strategies in suicide prevention efforts.

Reducing access to means of suicide requires developing an understanding of localised suicide trends at a local level as that will inform identify local priorities for for community safety initiatives. Taking action may involve liaising or working together with a broad range of relevant stakeholders or government agencies.