Suicide Prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities – Summary of Promising Programs

Suicide Prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities – Summary of Promising Programs

The University of Western Australia engaged HMA to develop an evidence base for what works in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention, through a meta-evaluation of suicide prevention programs identified through a literacy scan and community consultations program.

The report described programs implemented in Australia that provided evidence of emerging, promising or good practice in the management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention.

Key tasks involved:

• identifying in-scope suicide prevention programs
• categorising the in-scope programs as ‘promising’ or ‘other’
• seeking expert opinion on whether there were additional programs that should be added to the list
• describing and analysing the selected programs
• developing and applying a meta-evaluation analysis framework to critique the evaluation activities of the promising programs, and
• assessing the key themes and implications for future program design.

Literature Review

The University of Western Australia also engaged HMA to conduct a literature review on ‘what works’ in suicide prevention programs targeting Indigenous groups in Australia and internationally. The task involved:

• development of a paper retrieval and selection methodology
• review of the literature on suicide rates, risk factors and prevention programs and interventions, and
• critique of evaluations of existing suicide prevention programs to identify promising programs.

The literature review informed the companion report, A Summary of Promising Programs – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention, and the Evaluation Framework for Indigenous Suicide Prevention Programs and Services.

The project commenced in February 2016 and was completed in April 2016.