The way back Information Resources Project Developing evidence-informed information resources for people who have attempted suicide and their family and friends. Presented by Jaelea Skehan - Director, Hunter Institute of Mental Health and Susan Beaton - Consultant & beyondblue Suicide Prevention Advisor

1. The way back
Information Resources Project
Developing evidence-informed information resources for people
who have attempted suicide and their family and friends
Presented by:
Jaelea Skehan - Director, Hunter Institute of Mental Health
Susan Beaton - Consultant & beyondblue Suicide Prevention Advisor

2. Acknowledgements
• Hunter Institute of Mental Health contracted to develop resources
with beyondblue.
• Proudly funded with donations from the Movember Foundation.
• The project team included members from the Hunter Institute of
Mental Health, beyondblue and two people with lived experience.
• People with lived experience of suicide attempt(s) and their family
members participated in the consultation process – with support
from Suicide Prevention Australia and beyondblue’s blueVoices.

3. Background
• It is conservatively estimated that approximately 65,000 Australians make
a suicide attempt each year.
• These individuals can experience a range of physical, psychological,
emotional and social challenges following the event and are at much
higher risk of a further attempt or death by suicide.
• Many of the issues faced by someone who has attempted suicide, such as
feelings of guilt and shame, can also be shared by close family members,
friends and carers.
• beyondblue identified a gap in evidence-based resources readily available
for people who have attempted suicide and their supporting network.

4. The Way Back project: overview
• Conducted between May 2013 and May 2014.
• Aimed to develop evidence informed written information resources
for:
a) people who had attempted suicide
b) Family members and friends
c) specific version for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.*
* not covered in detail in this presentation

5. Finding your way back:
A resource for people who have
attempted suicide

6. Guiding their way back:
A resource for people who are
supporting someone after a
suicide attempt

7. Finding our way back:
A resource for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people after
a suicide attempt

8. The way back project: phases of work
Scans of academic evidence, relevant policies and existing information resources
Consultations with sector stakeholders and people with lived experience
General community resources drafted, reviewed and piloted in two locations
Consultation and development of resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples collaboration with Indigenous consultants and review panel
Final reports with conclusions and recommendations to beyondblue
1
2
3
4
5

9. Step 1: Evidence, policy and resource scan

10. • There is an evidence gap regarding efficacy and acceptability of
information resources targeted to people who have attempted suicide and
their families.
• There are different information needs for people who have attempted
suicide and their families.
• There are consistent topics currently covered in information resources.
• The information resources should encourage people to connect with
formal and informal supports.
• The settings that appear to offer most opportunity are: emergency
departments, acute mental health services and community mental health
services.

11. Step 2: Sector consultations (n=30)

12. • Belief that information resources for people who have attempted
suicide and their family members and friends are important.
• There was variable awareness of what resources were available.
• A range of consistent content areas identified
– e.g. normalising feelings, practical tips for communicating with others, seeking
help and managing suicidal thoughts if they return.
• There will be specific barriers to overcome in getting the resource
distributed in different settings.

13. Step 3: Consultations with people who have
lived experience (n= 37)
* Discussed in the next presentation in more detail

14. In addition to themes that emerged in response to specific questions, there
were two major themes that emerged across all of the questions.
1. Suicide and suicide attempts are highly stigmatised in the community.
“People don’t know how to react … They don’t know whether or not to talk
about it … There’s definitely still a stigma.” (person who had attempted
suicide)
2. People who are suicidal can be reluctant to disclose their feelings and
seek help.
“I was desperate to speak to someone, anyone, about how I was feeling. And I
felt I couldn’t and this made it really hard.” (person who had attempted
suicide)

15. Step 4: Resource development and review

16. Two ‘general community’ information
resources were written as short A5 booklets:
1. ‘Finding your way back: A resource for
individuals who have attempted suicide’;
2. ‘Guiding their way back: A resource for
people who are supporting someone
after a suicide attempt’.
Content was written by the Hunter Institute
of Mental Health and the project working
group and reviewed by an external panel.

17. • The content was designed to be practical
and straightforward.
• Quotes from people with lived
experience used throughout.
• Key sections include:
– Understanding the initial response;
– Common reactions to a suicide attempt;
– Things to do in the short term;
– Talking about what has happened to others;
– What to do if thoughts about suicide return;
– Looking after yourself;
– Resources and other information.

18. Step 5: Resource pilot in two locations

19. • To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of distributing the
resources through hospital and community mental health settings.
• Draft resources were piloted for six weeks in four (4) hospital and
community based mental health services in the Hunter Valley, New
South Wales and Darwin, Northern Territory.
• Only a comparatively small number of resources were distributed.
• The available results did, however, indicate that staff and managers
felt that the resources met the information needs of service users
and that they would be appropriate for distribution in the future.

20. Step 6: Final content and layout review

21. Conclusions
• People with lived experience of suicide attempt(s) (including family
members and friends) are an important target group for suicide
prevention activities.
• People with lived experience of suicide attempt(s) can and should
be involved in the development and/ or delivery of suicide
prevention strategies.
• Addressing and combating stigma and community discomfort in
talking about suicide is an important suicide prevention activity.

22. Conclusions (cont.)
• A national dissemination and evaluation strategy is needed to embed the
resources in practice and promote them to services and communities.
• There is a need for ongoing evaluation and research into the effectiveness
of information resources as a suicide prevention and wellbeing strategy.
• The distribution of information resources for people who have attempted
suicide and their family members and friends should be part of a broader
strategy that empowers people, communities and health services to
better support people following a suicide attempt.

23. Questions?
“After my suicide attempt six
years ago, I kept
remembering a quote from
Winston Churchill: ‘When
you are going through
hell…just keep going’. This
gave me great faith that
somehow I would find a way
out. Which I did and I’m
really enjoying life now.”
Jaelea Skehan
Jaelea.Skehan@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Susan Beaton
Susan.beaton4@gmail.com