Postvention: Support After Suicide

The loss of a loved one to suicide devastates families and loved ones. Postvention is the support provided to those who are bereaved by suicide and includes a range of timely, coordinated, and appropriate supports following a sudden loss. Traditionally, however, it can take years for those bereaved by suicide to seek support for themselves.

Postvention Service Trial

In an Australian first in 2019, the Peel and Rockingham Kwinana Community Response Steering Group (PaRK CRSG) and WA Police have collaborated to trial a service which will provide support to families after they have lost a loved one to suicide. The service will run for an initial 12-month period.

In response to a number of suicides in the Rockingham and Mandurah area in 2016, the initiative was created to enhance a comprehensive postvention plan developed by local agencies.

Rapid Response

As part of this trial, when someone dies by suicide, it triggers a rapid response from support services, allowing them to reach out to the immediate family who has been affected, to offer counselling and other much needed support.

PaRK CRSG Chair, Steve Batson confirmed “The addition of the immediate notification service and the rapid response it allows means we can now reach out to more people even earlier to offer support in the critical period immediately following a sudden loss.”

WA Police Sergeant, Paul Trimble said, “There has been an extensive amount of work involving Police and other joint agencies around this trial to ensure families who are bereaved by a loss are receiving the best possible support and care available in the shortest amount of time.”

Coordinated Postvention

WA Primary Health Alliance Suicide Prevention Trial Project Coordinator, Chloe Merna said, “The enthusiasm and dedication of local support services, health services and WA Police is paying off by delivering a truly coordinated postvention response to communities across Peel, Rockingham and Kwinana who, sadly, have been deeply impacted by suicide in recent years.”

While the group supported a small number of people through an unfortunate series of losses during 2018, they were only informed of these cases when Sgt Trimble was on duty. Since starting the trial 100% of losses have been identified and support offered.

Compliant

An extensive amount of work from all agencies involved has ensured that the pilot is compliant with the Coroners Act (1996) and legislation regarding confidentiality and the sharing of sensitive information.

Going Forward

There is a lot of interest in the program from both the WA government and other states and territories, however postvention community response groups must be established prior to the implementation of a similar service. Such groups will then be well positioned to provide the much-needed support to those affected by a sudden loss due to suicide.