Suicide Prevention

In reply to the Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (10 September 2015).

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety): The Minister for Transport and Infrastructure has been provided with the following advice:

I Suicide prevention training has been provided for managers and general managers to provide initial counselling and support for Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure staff. A best practice program for the department's public transport frontline rail and tram staff is currently being developed (see response II below).

The department also provides support and appropriate counselling should an employee be confronted by traumatic occurrences through the Employee Assistance Program and Critical Incident Response. Besides trauma counselling, the programs are designed to assist employees through difficult times and includes assistance in areas such as depression and anxiety and work related stress. The department is a strong supporter of Beyond Blue and R U OK.

A number of Wellbeing and Resilience workshops for individual business units have also been well received during the second half of 2016. Consequently, these are proposed to be extended throughout the department.

The department does not determine training packages provided by our private bus contractors and the provision of suicide prevention training for their staff is solely the responsibility of those companies.

II The department's Learning and Development and Rail Operations groups have been developing a Critical Incident Preparedness program, in consultation with Corporate Health Group (CHG). CHG has extended contact to registered psychologists within South Australia Police and the South Australian Ambulance Service to gain their insights and identify transferable content. This program is designed to assist front-line staff when confronted by situations such as a person threatening self-harm. The program is expected to be rolled out in early 2017.