Suicide Prevention

Tīaki Whānau

Suicide Prevention Taranaki was established on the recommendation of a suicide prevention needs assessment carried out by New Plymouth injury Safe in 2008. The group includes representatives from Taranaki DHB Mental Health & Addiction services, Tui Ora Ltd, Taranaki Rural Suport Trust, Family Works, Supporting Families in Mental Illness, interested individuals and other local contracted mental health service providers, including Maori health providers. Representatives from local secondary schools, Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Primary Health Organisations (PHO) are also on the mailing list for minutes and input.
The group meets on the second Friday of every month and membership is open to anyone with an interest in improving coordination of suicide prevention services across Taranaki. The group is currently developing an action plan which will largely focus on raising awareness of suicide prevention and increasing the availability of suicide prevention training in our region.  Contact [email protected] for more details.
 
Taranaki Suicide Prevention Service
Tui Ora Ltd provides promotion and co-ordination of existing regional suicide prevention services. This includes Suicide Prevention Taranaki, Fighting the Blues, Rural Support Trust Taranaki, Taranaki Retreat and Supporting Families in Mental Illness as well as Taranaki DHB, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.
 
It was established as a result of the Taranaki Suicide Prevention and Postvention Action Plan 2015-17, part of a commitment from Taranaki DHB to combat the significant problem of suicide in Aotearoa. 
The service is not a frontline one, but helps implement the Taranaki action plan, increase community awareness, co-ordinate training and education, and support communities to design their own initiatives to reduce self-harm and suicide.
 
Conversations about Suicide Resource: Ngā whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro mō te whakamomori
Suicide Prevention Taranaki worked alongside other services and professionals to develop a local resource that responds to the needs of the community. Click on the resource below for tips and information on where to go for help.  Available in both English and Te Reo. 
 
 
 

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16
average number of completed suicides in Taranaki every year
19%
of completed suicides are of people who identify as Māori (average)
Over 100
people hospitalised for self-harm in Taranaki each year
7:1
average ratio of males to females completing suicide in Taranaki

Reports + Resources

Taranaki Suicide Prevention/Postvention Action Plan 2015-2017

Taranaki Suicide Prevention Needs Assessment (2008)
Taranaki Suicide Prevention Needs Assessment (2008) Summary Report
Feeling down on the Farm - Rural Suicide Prevention Booklet

Related Projects

Conversations about Suicide: Ngā whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro mō te whakamomori

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A popular Taranaki resource designed to support suicide prevention has recently been updated to capture new information from the Ministry of Health – and is readily available to those who need it.

‘Conversations about Suicide’ is a locally developed guide designed to support individuals, whānau and services hold conversations about suicide and with individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts so they can get the right help.

The guide is available in English or Te Reo Māori and contains a section outlining common myths and facts associated with suicide in an effort to break down the stigma often associated. Finally, there is a list of help lines that may be able to assist during this distressing period.

The resource is readily accessible on the Tui Ora and NPiS websites, and has been available in hard copy or pdf for over 12 months, during this time over 5000 copies have been distributed throughout the region.   Additional printed copies of the resource will be distributed widely as soon as they are available; please get in touch with Sue Martin at Tui Ora if you are interested in receiving some.

The guide, originally developed in 2016 was a collaborative effort involving Suicide Prevention Taranaki and Homegrown – Rangatahi Suicide Prevention.  These collectives appreciate the support from NPiS thus far to fund the printing.

For further information about Conversation Guide and the Suicide Prevention Taranaki collaborative, please contact Sue Martin at Tui Ora, or check out their website.