Almost 60 Bankstown residents joined Lifeline Macarthur’s ‘Turning the Tide’ forum last Wednesday held at Bankstown Sports Club. The forum, initiated to help raise awareness and promote suicide prevention, focused on dispelling suicide myths, identifying mental health service supports and providing attendees with a greater understanding of how to access services and resources to support those in crisis.
With representatives from the South Western Sydney Local Health District, the South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (PHN), the NSW Police Mental Health Portfolio and community members with lived experience, the forum addressed the need to speak courageously and openly about suicide, to help recognise the signs of someone experiencing crisis and how to reach out for support.
“We were pleased with how engaged the audience were and the shared commitment to preventing suicide in the Bankstown area. The more we normalise mental health and raise awareness of suicide prevention services in the region, the better we can equip the community to reduce the incidence of suicide,” said General Manager, Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention, Jacky Moore.
Turning the Tide forms part of a broader suicide prevention strategy to educate the community on suicide and prevent further lives lost to suicide. In 2018, whilst the number of suicides reduced from 3,128 to 3,046, deaths by suicide in NSW increased. As the leading cause of death in Australians between 15-44 years old, suicide and mental health must remain a priority for the community.
If you or someone you know is experiencing crisis, please contact Lifeline’s Crisis Support Line on 13 11 14, or if you suspect life is in danger, call 000.
For more information on Lifeline Macarthur’s suicide prevention services, visit www.lifelinemacarthur.org.au
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