Active Response Bereavement Outreach Program (ARBOR)

1. Project Profile

Project Name(s)	Active Response Bereavement Outreach Program (ARBOR)
Funded Organisation	Anglicare WA 2011/12-2012/13 Curtin University of Technology 2009/10-2010/11
Geographical Area	Local
State/Territory	Western Australia
Approach(es)	Selected
Individual/Group	Individual and Group
LIFE Action Areas	Improving the evidence base and understanding of suicide prevention Building individual resilience and the capacity for self-help Improving community strength, resilience and capacity in suicide prevention Providing targeted suicide prevention activities Implementing standards and quality in suicide prevention
Target Groups	People bereaved by suicide Men Youth Indigenous populations CALD communities Older people Whole of community Workforce Other

2. Project Description

ARBOR is a postvention service that aims for early engagement of those bereaved by suicide with support services, resources and assistance. The ARBOR program accepts referrals from agencies in the Perth area and has an established referral relationship with the Coronial Counselling Service.

The objectives of the project are: to provide early intervention and additional support opportunities to reduce stigma and isolation associated with suicidal bereavement and normalise the grief process, to reduce the risk of suicide amongst those bereaved, to raise awareness of the complexities of suicide bereavement with allied health professionals, and provide a suicide bereavement service within the Perth Metropolitan area which includes counselling and support groups.

3. Activities

The key activities carried out by the ARBOR program are:

• 24 hour response capacity to link with bereaved families
• Linking and referring bereaved to appropriate support service/services
• Ensure debriefing, support and supervision is available to volunteers and staff
• Establishment and facilitation of support groups and educational sessions
• Maintenance of Expert Reference Group
• Development of relationships with Aboriginal Services and Communities
• Completing and ongoing distribution and refinement of brochures, marketing materials, website and client packs
• Developing new Memorandums of Understanding/partnerships with relevant stakeholders such as youth services, Aboriginal and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) services and communities, actively seek to move relationships from the networking level to collaboration and integration
• Conducting seminars and workshops for allied health services and delivering training package to Aboriginal people and communities bereaved by suicide
• Training and developing workshop facilitators.Top of page

4. Funding

• Round 1
  • NSPP funding
    • 2006/07 - $390,233
    • 2007/08 - $367,740
    • 2008/09 - $377,026
  • % project funding - not applicable (Curtin University of Technology)
• Round 2
  • NSPP funding
    • 2009/10 - $321,503
    • 2010/11 - $492,547
  • % project funding - not applicable (Curtin University of Technology)
• Round 3
  • NSPP funding
    • 2011/12 - $501,413
    • 2012/13 - $510,439
  • % project funding - 100%

5. Staffing

• Round 1 (2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09)
  • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - not applicable (Curtin University of Technology)
  • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - not applicable (Curtin University of Technology)
• Round 2 (2009/10, 2010/11)
  • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - not applicable (Curtin University of Technology)
  • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - not applicable (Curtin University of Technology)
• Round 3 (2011/12, 2012/13)
  • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - 4.5
  • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - 6