Minister for
Health and Aged Care, Sussan Ley and Minister for
Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel, Dan Tehan will
visit Townsville later this week to discuss the
incidence of suicide among current and former members of
the ADF and hear ideas that will help shape a new
landmark suicide prevention trial in the region.
Representatives
from defence and veterans’ associations, health service
providers and local community groups will be attending
Wednesday’s roundtable discussion.
Announced in
September, the Turnbull Government is working with local
and regional stakeholders to establish a Suicide
Prevention Trial Site in Townsville. The Townsville
trial will be led by the North Queensland Primary Health
Network. As part of its work, the trial will focus on
veterans’ mental health.
This is one of
12 innovative, front-line trials in our fight against
suicide which will improve understanding of the
challenges and work to develop best-practice services
which we can apply nationwide.
The Turnbull
Government is committed to supporting the mental health
of all Australians. The suicide prevention trial in
Townsville is part of a $34 million commitment to fund
and evaluate 12 suicide prevention trial sites
nationally.
Minister for
Health Sussan Ley said consultation and collaboration
will be critical to the success of the trial in
Townsville.
"The
involvement of veterans’ organisations, local service
providers, and health professionals is essential if we
are going to tackle the incidence of suicide amongst
current and former members of the ADF," Minister Ley
said.
"That’s why
we’ll be talking directly with the local community and
service providers to understand what’s currently working
on the ground in garrison communities, like Townsville,
and to seek their advice in designing and planning the
trial."
Minister Tehan
said the suicide prevention trial site was another
important initiative in the Government’s campaign to
address suicide.
"The veterans’
focus of the Townsville trial site will be vitally
important in helping to improve our understanding of the
challenges and helping us to develop best practices
which can be rolled out nationally," Minister Tehan
said.
"The Government
is committed to addressing the incidence of suicide in
our community and this year we have introduced several
suicide prevention initiatives for our serving and
ex-serving population.
"Free mental
health treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder,
depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorders is
available now to anyone who has served for one day in
the ADF."
During the
election, the Turnbull Government committed $192 million
over four years to strengthen mental health care and
develop new models to better support those with severe
mental illnesses and those living in rural and regional
areas who are at risk of suicide.
