Expanding the suicide prevention peer workforce - an urgent and rapid solution to Australia’s suicide prevention challenge

The suicide prevention peer workforce is a critical but underdeveloped element of Australia’s emerging suicide prevention system.

In expanding the suicide prevention peer workforce: an urgent and rapid solution to Australia’s suicide prevention challenge, Roses in the Ocean is calling for a national prioritisation of suicide prevention peer work so that:

• people in distress can easily and quickly find support without needing to first access clinical services
• pressure on over-stretched emergency departments, phone lines and Medicare-funded services is reduced
• and the economic cost of suicide is decreased.

For suicide prevention peer work to be sustainable and effective, supportive strategies are needed within organisations employing peer workers. A substantial increase in the availability of peer workers is needed alongside the reform of services to ensure compassionate work environments and well informed managers and executives.