The impact of a suicide can cause significant and long standing negative ripple effects throughout a community or region, but when a community is faced with the additional negative impact of a homicide/suicide, the impact is significantly magnified. This presentation will showcase a holistic multi-agency, first of its kind critical incident recovery response, that was developed in regional Australia, following a homicide/suicide. The response was formulated and coordinated by Holyoake (in collaboration with an LGA, WA Police and Victims of Crime). This unique multi-agency response provided free (no-referral, no appointment) support into a rural community that was significantly impacted by this critical incident.
The initiative was able to not only provide support to those impacted, but also achieved the outcomes of reducing stigma, promotion of help seeking behaviour and increased an awareness of place-based support available. There has been substantial interest from organisations involved in Emergency Management Response, to take learning from this initiative in their development of future critical incident recovery responses.
The presentation will walk participants through a step by step strategic overview as to how the program was conceptualised, how effective inter-agency engagement strategies were embedded, how shared measurement tools were developed to capture those most at risk and provide pertinent information to service providers and the Local Government Authority.
At Holyoake, we give people impacted by alcohol, drugs and mental health the support, hope and confidence they need to live the life they choose. By listening. By offering free counselling, peer-support and community programs across WA. By being here whenever you’re ready. When we come together as individuals and families, specialists and practitioners – we achieve better, life-changing outcomes.