The document provides guidance for community managers on preparing for and responding to mental health issues online. It defines mental health and discusses its prevalence in Australia. It then outlines steps community managers can take to reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking behavior, and foster community connectivity. It also provides tips for responding to users in distress, developing referral resources, supporting staff, and prioritizing self-care.

1. The Community Manager's Guide
to Mental Health Preparedness

2. Who are we?
Sarah Stokely
Community Consultant, Quiip
Cosette Paneque
Community Consultant, Quiip

3. What is R U OK Day?
"This is my hero. This is the guy that I felt most like in the
world. If he was capable of that, then I am too." - Gavin Larkin

4. Are you ok?

5. The Community Manager's Guide
to Mental Health Preparedness
What is mental health?
Facts about mental health in Australia
"That wouldn't happen in my community."
Community preparedness
Self-care
Questions and discussion

6. What is mental health?
MENTAL HEALTH is a state of wellbeing in which individuals
can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively
and fruitfully, and are able to make a contribution to their
community.
MENTAL ILLNESS, on the other hand, describes a number of
diagnosable disorders that can significantly interfere with a
person's cognitive, emotional or social abilities.

7. What is mental health?
Mental health is a spectrum, and at various stages of our lives we move places on the
spectrum.
An individual's ability to relate with their family, friends, workmates and the broader community
can be affected by their mental health.It can cause significant distress and disability, and can
lead to isolation of, and discrimination against, those affected.
People with a mental health disorder may also not be able to fully participate in the labour force.
This has individual impacts in terms of the person's income, social participation and self-
esteem, and also has wider impact.
People with a mental illness can be among the most disadvantaged in society, and many
confront barriers as a direct result. Cognitive and communication impairments may pose
challenges, while stigma and discriminatory attitudes can be worse than the illness itself.
Discrimination and stigma can create barriers to recovery for people with mental illness
including access to housing, employment and insurance and people often report that fear of
stigma and discrimination is a key reason for not seeking help early. [http://mhca.org.au/]
Approximately 20% of the Australian population will experience mental illness in any given year.

8. Facts about suicide in Australia
• The average number of suicide deaths in Australia is 2,320 per year, (6 per day).
• The average number of attempted suicides in Australia is 65,300, (178 per day).
• 76% of people who died by suicide were male, 24% were female.
• Suicide accounts for approximately 25% of deaths in young people, aged 15-24.
• The highest age-specific suicide rate for both genders is 85+, followed by men aged 30-49.
• Suicide takes 1.5 more Australian lives each year than road accidents, yet the risk factors in
road safety are much more openly discussed.
• Agencies such as Centrelink, homeless shelters and schools are far more likely to come into
contact with a suicidal person than a mental health service.
• In one Queensland study, 63% of those who survived a suicide attempt had never engaged
with mental health services.

9. Groups at higher risk of suicide
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• People with mental disorders and/or a history of suicide attempts
• People with drug and alcohol abuse problems
• People experiencing chronic physical pain or illness
• Individuals identifying as LGBTIQ
• People living in remote or regional areas
• Armed Forces veterans

10. Community managers
can help
Reduce stigma
Encourage help-seeking behaviour
Perform early intervention
Foster connectivity through communities

11. Real Examples
Trigger warning:
The following slides contain examples from
real-life scenarios that some may find disturbing.

12. –Posted to the ReachOut forums
“I just can't do this anymore. I feel like
I've been trying so hard the last six
months, like getting my own place,
seeing my therapist, etc. But its not
enough to make life livable. I'm sorry.”

13. –Posted to the ReachOut forums
“It doesn't even matter if I'm okay or not.
People don't care in real life so....”

14. “That wouldn't happen in
my community.”

15. One in five Australians will experience mental ill health.
The chances are you will interact with one online.
Are you ready?

16. Things you can't unsee

17. Community Preparedness
Legal Considerations
This is an emerging area.
There are no hard and fast legal rulings
in the duty of care of
digital, frontline interactions.

18. ACCC Facebook Obligations
Facebook has been identified as a publishing platform by ACCC and as such is
within the requirements for brands to ensure all material is not in breach of
defamation, inciting violence or hatred, racism, etc. This includes posts by
community members.
Abuse, threats and at-risk communication can be included in the requirement to
remove within 24 hours, and could be subject to an investigation if a complaint is
made.
Coronial Findings
There is an accepted view that frontline staff could be included in Coronial enquiries
around suicide if interaction with that person was had nearing the death.
While this hasn’t happened for a digital frontline staffer yet, it should be a
consideration when resourcing and managing communities for any organisation.

19. “We look after a client’s Facebook page. Sometimes the public says some
pretty offensive things in the comment thread about the brand, or other
people. If it’s libellous, are we liable?”
Under Defamation Acts (2006) defamation can occur where one person publishes content
(words, sound, video, images) that damages reputation of another identifiable person
Liability for defamatory publication can extend to a brand where the brand is able to exercise
control over a publication, there is knowledge of the publication and there is a failure to
prevent or remove the publication by a third party, eg on a brands blog or Facebook page etc
Have clearly stated community guidelines and netiquette outlawing personal attacks,
vilification and defamation. Such comments would also be a breach of Facebook’s Rights &
Responsibilities
Actively moderate or review posts and comments, and remove those that breach community
guidelines or rules of social media site. Do not rely on users to inform you.
-Stephen von Muenster http://www.vmsolicitors.com.au

20. We are not lawyers.
The last word on legals...
Please seek independent legal advice.

21. Community Preparedness
Before & After
Have a risk management plan
Provide training
Ensure your team has regular debriefs
Create a healthy, open culture where your staff can talk about these issues
Have a plan for supporting staff members involved in crisis incidents
Provide access to counselling
Recognise that people may need ongoing counselling following traumatic
events
Before
After

22. Community Preparedness
Have a plan
Develop a list of incidents that could occur. Prioritise them according to high,
medium, and low level risks. Use a simple system, such as a traffic light model,
that makes it easy to see which risks are high (red), which are medium (amber),
and which are low (green). Make this document easily accessible to community
moderators and managers.
What to include:
Response times
What actions to take
Who is responsible for taking such actions
How to handle after-hours incidents
Resources
A visual aid such as a flowchart to help moderators make decisions

23. 1. Take all posts seriously. Regarding suicide, look for intent, means, plans, and/or date.
2. Separate the issue from the risk.
3. This might be the only red flag.
4. Acknowledge the strength it takes to ask for help. Be non-judgmental.
5. Recognise that you are not the appropriate person to help. Refer the person to the
appropriate help.
6. "Listen" by validating the person's situation and emotions. Show empathy. It's okay
to be in the dark with them.
7. Don't be afraid to say the wrong thing.
8. Reassure them that they are not alone. Help is available.
9. Offer actionable help. Encourage their help-seeking journey, but assert it is their
responsibility to seek help.
10. When appropriate, ask questions to further dialogue.
10 tips for helping people in distress
(C) Quiip 2016

24. Develop your referrals
Lifeline
24 hour crisis or suicide line
13 11 14 / https://www.lifeline.org.au/ (includes online chat)
Suicide Call Back Service
http://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Kids Helpline
Youth counselling support up to age 25)
1800 55 1800 / http://kidshelp.com.au

25. More resources
LEGAL ADVICE
http://www.vmsolicitors.com.au/
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
https://mhfa.com.au/
REACHOUT
http://au.reachout.com/
BEYOND BLUE
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/
LIFELINE
https://www.lifeline.org.au/

26. “At my previous job working as a community manager, I
had a stalker. My employer did nothing. They didn't do
anything to help or support me.”
Your team: what not to do
It’s not “just the internet” — take precautions to support
and safeguard your employees. You can do this by:-

27. • Proper processes and systems will help your staff know they followed
protocol and acted accordingly. It can be mentally taxing to worry if
you handled something to the best of your abilities.
• Ensure you hold debriefs with the team, especially after difficult days
or issues.
• Provide an EAP service and encourage your staff to use it.
• Allow & encourage your staff to take a walk/deep breaths before
handling situations when their anger or frustration might be high.
• Do not roster staff to be “always on”. It’s unhealthy and can lead to
burnout and negative impacts on your staff.
How to support your team

28. Self Care
• Be prepared
• Know your limits
• Be confident you've done
the best you could
• Debrief and disconnect
• Seek help

29. Thank you!
Sarah Stokely
Community Consultant, Quiip
sarah@quiip.com.au
@stokely
Cosette Paneque
Community Consultant, Quiip
cosette@quiip.com.au
@CosettePaneque