Suicide Prevention

In reply to Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (18 July 2014). (Estimates Committee A)

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries):

The South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2012-2016; Every life is worth living identifies many at risk groups. A community approach to raising awareness and reduction of stigma around suicide is critical for all at risk groups to seek help.

Within South Australia there are numerous services available for people who have experienced sexual abuse to receive care that will reduce the risk of suicide.

The South Australian government recognises the need to address the impact of sexual abuse. No one government department has all the answers so a coordinated approach across government departments and non-government organisations is required. The diversity of these services is provided below and describes a multiplicity of services which work collaboratively to address the impacts of sexual abuse on its victims.

A South Australian Government Suicide Implementation Committee will be established in the coming months to unite government departments, supporting them in the implementation and ensuring the objectives in the South Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2012-2016; Every life is worth living, relevant to each government department are fulfilled.

Services available across government include:

The Commissioner for Victims Rights is an independent statutory officer who helps victims in their dealings with the criminal justice system, public officials and public agencies; as well as, consults public officials and public agencies on their treatment of victims. The commissioner can recommend public officials and public agencies make a written apology if they have not treated victims properly.

The Commissioner for Victims Rights provides a booklet 'What choices' which outlines options, what those options entail and services available to victims. The booklets are provided to victims by police.

Immediate support is crucial for early intervention into suicide prevention for the victims of sexual abuse.

The SAPOL Sexual Crime Investigation Branch (SCIB) provides a specialist investigation service for the prevention, detection and investigation of sexually related crimes. SCIB consists of sections which include:

Sexual Assault Investigation Section

Victim Management Section

Child Exploitation Investigation Section

Intelligence Section

ANCOR (Australian National Child Offender Register).

Victim support is provided in South Australia through the Victim Support Service which is a non-government, non-profit organisation that provides many services for victims of crime, their family and friends, and for the wider community. These include counselling, provision of information about victim's rights and victim's compensation, court support and referral to other agencies where appropriate.

Crisis Care is the after-hours crisis information service. Qualified social workers and trained volunteers handle all calls. The service is available Statewide and operates from 4pm to 9am on weekdays and for 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.

The Witness Assistance Service is part of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). It provides information about, and support during, the legal process, and referral to relevant services for victims of crime and their close family members or carers. The Witness Assistance Service is only involved where the DPP has involvement in the case.

SA Health services include:

Yarrow Place Rape and Sexual Assault Service provides a variety of services for people who have been raped or sexually assaulted and for their partners, families and friends. Services are for people aged 16 years and over at the time of the rape or sexual assault.

Services include a 24 hour crisis response service for recent rape or sexual assault. This can include medical care, forensic medical examinations, counselling and advocacy. (People aged under 16 years should contact the Child Protection Services of either the Women's and Children's Hospital or Flinders Medical Centre.)

Yarrow Place also provides follow-up medical care and ongoing counselling, training for workers, prevention programs, a group work and seminar program, and systems advocacy. It conducts seminars about the criminal justice system for people who have experienced a rape or sexual assault. The seminar is free of charge and includes:

information about the criminal justice system

an opportunity to ask questions

an opportunity to express concerns about reporting to the police and going to court

a video about giving evidence in court

a resource kit.

Child Protection Services within the Women's and Children's Health Network provides high quality assessment and treatment services to children from birth to 18 years and their families where there is a suspicion of child abuse, psychological treatment and/or neglect.

The Child Protection Services offers a range of services including:

telephone consultation to professionals within Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN) and outside, as well as to members of the public to discuss child protection matters, provide information and advice and where appropriate facilitate referrals to other services

forensic medical assessments in relation to suspicious and/or unexplained injury and/or presentations of severe neglect of children/young people under the age of 18; forensic medical assessments in relation to allegations of sexual abuse of children/young people under 16.

forensic psychosocial assessments of children under the age of 7 to assess situations where there have been allegations of physical/sexual abuse.

parenting capacity assessments to assess the potential safety and wellbeing of children and young in the care of their parents/cares where Families SA is extremely concerned about abuse/neglect and/or psychological maltreatment.

Sexualised Behaviour Treatment service which provides therapy to children 2-12 years of age and their families or carers where the major concern is problematic sexual behaviour and where recent sexual abuse has not been confirmed.

Keeping Them Safe therapy service, which provides long term therapy for children aged between 0-12 years who are under the guardianship of the minister and/or of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent.

Suicide Prevention

In 2014-15, the government has committed over $1 million to suicide prevention.

This includes:

$200,000 to Lifeline, to provide crisis support to South Australians;

$278,000 to beyondblue for continuing work in suicide prevention;

$150,000 funding for Suicide Prevention Networks to address suicide at a local level to raise awareness, breakdown the stigma, promote community education, increase knowledge about help available and encouraging help seeking;

$150,000 in small grants for local suicide prevention and postvention initiatives and activities;

$125,000 for a Suicide Prevention Officer to work in the establishment of Suicide Prevention Networks; and

$115,000 to Centacare for the Youth Suicide Intervention Service (known as Ascend).

Mental Health Services provide counselling and support for adults who have been affected by child sexual abuse.

SA Health funding for support for people who have experienced sexual assault includes:

Mental Health Services across the state: $298 million per annum

Suicide Prevention: over $1 million per annum

Child Protection Services

Yarrow Place.