NSW Suicide Prevention Framework

In October 2022, the Mental Health Commission of NSW with oversight by the NSW Mental Health Taskforce launched the Shifting the Landscape for Suicide Prevention in NSW: A whole-of-government Strategic Framework 2022 – 2027 (the Strategic Framework). This document sets out the key priorities and focus areas for the NSW government to adopt and reflect in its work to prevent suicide in NSW.

The Mental Health Commission of NSW (the Commission) is tasked with monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Strategic Framework. The Strategic Framework takes a social determinants approach to suicide prevention by acknowledging the economic, social and environmental complexities of suicide and expanding the accountability to take action to the whole-of-government. In prioritising non-medical factors that influence individual and community wellbeing, the approach seeks to drive a whole-of-community response across private and non-profit sectors as well as at an individual and family/community level. 

The Commission engaged ARTD to conduct the Year 1 evaluation of the Strategic Framework. The aim of the evaluation was to establish baseline attitudes and responses to the Strategic Framework to inform future activities relating to, and evaluations of, the Strategic Framework. The evaluation called for a systems approach, consistent with the approach of the Strategic Framework itself. 

A series of high-level NSW Government stakeholders and leading community groups were interviewed to gauge the impact the Framework had in its first year. Interview aimed to capture the systems-level work being conducted by a wide range of NSW Government Agencies and determine the reach and impact of the Strategic Framework. The interviews were also designed to facilitate comparisons with future evaluations.  

The evaluation was also both lived experience- and theory-informed. This involved ongoing consultation with lived experience peer researchers to ensure the evaluation design, implementation and final reporting reflected the values and views of consumers and carers.  

The findings were interpreted through the lens of evidence-based theories (systems and communication theories), and this was helpful to both demonstrate the strengths of the approach so far, and identify opportunities for the Commission moving forward. A systems-thinking approach throughout ensured that the final report identified the key high-level elements required to establish a whole-of-government approach. 

The evaluation identified that the Strategic Framework defined the issue (suicide) and the solution (a whole-of-government approach) well.  There was a strong commitment to a whole-of-government approach to suicide prevention in NSW. 

However, more work was needed to support government agencies to understand how to apply the Framework. Government agencies required enough detail to see their agency and their role in the work, appropriate governance to drive action, and support to enable implementation.  

The findings informed recommendations for the Commission that centred around leveraging existing resources within the NSW Government to drive implementation of the Strategic Framework.