Funded organisations were generally compliant with MDS submission requests. Despite working in sometimes difficult environments with limited capacity for administration, responses to requests for data were outstanding and allowed an excellent picture of the NSPP-funded program activity to be developed.
Program data indicates that NSPP-funded projects spent more time on service provision activities than any other activity. Wide variations existed in the way projects spent their time, reflecting the diversity of the project activities undertaken and the settings in which the activities take place.
Individual activities
- In the six month period from October 2012 to March 2013, a total of 16,222 individual activities were reported.
- The most frequently reported mode of delivery for individual activities was telephone.
- The majority of individual activities (94.5%) involved direct client contact.
- Individual contacts or activities ranged widely in duration; however most contacts or activities (85.6%) had a duration of less than one hour.
- The majority of individual contacts or activities were undertaken directly with the individual client rather than via other avenues such as through family or friends.
- The age of individuals to whom services were delivered broadly reflects the Australian population age distribution. The notable exception was children aged between 0-14 years who, as would be expected, received proportionally fewer services than their share of the Australian population.
- Fewer males than females participated in suicide prevention individual activities.
- Data collected from NSPP projects suggests that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are receiving a high number of suicide prevention specific services (14.7% of total contacts or activities compared to an estimated 2.5% of the population).44 This suggests that the NSPP-funded projects are successfully targeting this group, who have a significantly higher rate of suicide than the non-Indigenous population.
- The NSPP-funded projects have reported that over 60 different ethnic groups have been involved in individual suicide prevention activities.
- Notwithstanding the large number of different ethnic groups involved in individual activities, CALD clients appear to be under-represented, with only 8.0% of the total number of activities assigned to CALD clients.
- Refugees living in the community are accessing NSPP-funded services. Given the relatively small cohort of refugees living in the community and their high suicide risk, it is noteworthy that 3.8% of individual activities were identified as having reached this target group.
- The NSPP-funded projects are providing individual activities to a wide range of people from specific target groups.
- The provision of individual contacts or activities to LGBTI and CALD community members is relatively fewer than other high-risk groups. It would be expected that activity should at a minimum reflect the proportion of those people in the general population.
- The NSPP-funded projects are receiving referrals from a number of different sources, indicating intersectoral collaboration.
- There was a high rate of self-referrals, which reflects strong help-seeking behaviour among those using NSPP-funded services.
- Referrals are also frequently made from the NSPP-funded projects to other services and programs. This indicates a multi-disciplinary approach which is an important aspect of embedding suicide prevention activity in the broader community. Notably, significant numbers of referrals were made to health and mental health services.
Group activities
- Over the six month period from October 2012 to March 2013, a total of 2,425 group activities were reported.
- Most group activities take place in community-based or workplace settings.
- Only very small numbers of children and older people are represented in group activities.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are over-represented in group activity data (19.5% of cohort compared to an estimated 2.5% of the population).45 This may signify that the NSPP-funded projects are successfully targeting this group who have a significantly higher rate of suicide than the non-Indigenous population.
- Although a wide range of ethnic groups were represented in group activity data, the number of people from CALD communities is relatively low.
- It appears that LGBTI and people engaged with the justice system are 'at risk' populations that are underrepresented in the group activities funded by the NSPP.
- The main reported effect of group activities was sector engagement
- Over one third of group activities lead to requests for specific resources/information, activities or referral of individuals to services. This level of further engagement appears to be an important by-product of group activities.