Suicide prevention programs - LGBTI communities

Extract from Hansard
[COUNCIL — Thursday, 10 November 2011]
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SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS —
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX COMMUNITIES

4698. Hon Lynn MacLaren to the Minister for Mental Health

(1) Is the Minister aware that suicide rates among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI)
communities have been found to be 3.5 to 14 times higher than the general community?

(2) Will the Minister please provide details of any programs that her Government has funded that attempt
to reduce the number of suicides in these communities?

(3) Has the Minister been advised by LGBTI advocates of the need for programs to lower the risk of youth
suicide in these communities?

(4) Please provide advice of any programs in Western Australia targeted at LGBTI young people for the
purpose of suicide prevention.

Hon HELEN MORTON replied:

(1)–(4) Yes, ABS data shows that the LGBTI community have a higher rate of suicide than the general
community. I have been advised by LGBTI advocates of the need for programs to lower the risk of
youth suicide in these communities.

The Mental Health Commission provides funding to the Western Australian AIDS Council for the
Freedom Centre to deliver early intervention programs to LGBTI young people. This includes the
collection of routine quality of life consumer outcome measures using consumer self-reports and
questionnaires; internet forums and discussion panels to provide peer support and information relevant
to the target group, and opportunity for young people to ask questions, in an anonymous and accessible
manner;drop-in sessions each with a different focus to cater to the needs of the client group, such as
Guyspace, Girlspace, Freespace, Outspace and GenderQ; and interactive workshops that cater to the
needs of the clients.

The target group for this service is young people (aged 15 to 25) with same sex attraction and
psychological, emotional and/or behavioural problems. Consumers can be referred to this service from
health services, general practitioners, private psychiatrists and other health professionals. They must
have ongoing clinical support guaranteed by a public mental health service, a private psychiatrist or a
general practitioner.

The State Government has also funded a range of initiatives for suicide prevention which are inclusive
of LGBTI communities, such as $13 million for the Statewide Suicide Prevention Strategy 2009–2013
(Strategy) — which includes funding for 0.5 FTE for three months as part of a specific LGBTI CAP;
$1.2 million over four years to Youth Focus to help young people to overcome issues associated with
self-harm, depression and suicide; $500,000 to Lifeline to recruit and train additional crisis telephone
counsellors; and almost $1million in 2010/11 for counselling and early intervention services, crisis lines
and national initiatives such as beyondblue.