Scroll Down
Risk of suicide or escalation of suicidal crisis can be unpredictable. Providing individuals with support at times when they are most vulnerable is critical to ensuring that support is effective in achieving safety.
CHN, ACT PHN commissions Woden Community Service to provide The Way Back Support Service (TWBSS) to support people in the first few months following a suicide attempt. People who have experienced a suicide attempt are referred to the program by hospital emergency departments, mental health units, as well as the Community Mental Health Service for follow-up psychosocial support which can last up to 12 weeks. This is seen as a critical suicide prevention aftercare response for a person at a high-risk time and is a key element of the LifeSpan integrated framework for suicide prevention.
The TWBSS provided non-clinical after care service to 261 clients (over 2,500 occasions of service). On average participants showed a great reduction of symptoms associated with depression and anxiety upon exiting the program and movement towards much greater well-being. The Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS) score showed a strong movement towards fewer severe suicidal thoughts and greater control, suggesting on average participants are exiting the service with a much lower risk of suicidal behaviour.
Improving the response time between referral receipt, review and initial contact has been a key priority over the last 12 months. TWBSS has worked to further their relationship with Canberra Health Services with great success, as evident from the referral receipt to first contact attempt by phone currently being less than 24 hours.
Client story
Ben* (not their real name) had a history of suicide attempts and conflicts with emergency services. When Ben was distressed, there was a recurring theme of not feeling heard or recognised when he needed help. A concerned neighbour phoned the police during a situational crisis triggered by COVID-19 stress and poor sleep. Ben was taken to hospital but later absconded emergency and was returned by the police. An ED worker recognised from Ben’s history that something needed to change. Refusing to leave his side, they said “I’m not leaving him until he gets some help”. This response included community support as part of his discharge plan and he was referred to Way Back.
This moment made a significant difference to Ben as he felt his distress was properly recognised and the patterns leading to a ‘revolving door’ cycle were taken seriously. The positive experience at the hospital promoted Ben’s help-seeking behaviour. Ben shared with his Support Coordinator (SC) that he has a turbulent history with emergency services filled with mistrust and stemming from negative experiences in his youth. Ben’s SC introduced the Beyond Blue Safety Plan to him. He enjoyed this process because it was less restrictive and able to be personalised to his experiences.
Ben and his SC developed de-escalation strategies. They started with things he could do when he’s heading into crisis and developed agreements with others that outlined what kind of support they could provide when warning signs emerge. They also further worked on other concerns such as completing a housing transfer, support letters and statements, and linking to a male specific counsellor at EveryMan.
Ben developed more effective and respectful help-seeking behaviours. He was able to write a new narrative for how he managed his distress. As a result, his relationship with his support networks and emergency services have improved recognising they’re “just individuals doing a job”. In this story, the system worked well from the hospital through to Way Back demonstrating how effective complementary services can be. Ben said “Changed my whole life. My life hasn’t been any better. I can’t believe how far I’ve come since I’ve been with you guys”.
