p-­‐

Providing Care and Support for People at Risk of Suicide

a PO Box 691 Alderley QLD 4051

     e admin@caps.org.au        www.caps.org.au

For More Information: w: caps.org.au e: admin@caps.org.au

SUICIDE FACTS

Introduction Suicide is a leading public health problem with widespread individual, family and community ramifications. The terrible waste of human potential extends beyond the loss of individual life, to the psychological and emotional effects on bereaved families and individuals, some of whose grief is made more complicated by the suddenness of the death.

Kyle, aged 16, lived with his mother, a sole parent, and his two sisters. Kyle was the target of bullying at school, and his family had no idea of the extent to which the bullying had affected him. His mother reported it to the school and steps were being taken to prevent it, but to Kyle the situation had become too difficult to bear. He ended his life, leaving a diary which expressed his feelings of lack of self worth, hopelessness and fear. Kyle’s family is devastated. His mother suffers depression and his younger teenage sister is displaying psychological symptoms that require medical attention.

Given suicide’s nature and complexity, our community has much more to discover and understand about the causes of suicidal behaviour and how to prevent it effectively. Today more than ever, our understanding has increased regarding the risk factors for suicide, and measures that can provide some protection against a person dying by suicide. However, our community still has a major task ahead of it to lower the suicide rate.

CAPS proposes to do this by offering the best services to effectively manage and prevent suicidal behavior and by delivering public education programs to raise suicide awareness and increase skills so as more people feel equipped to support a person who is suicidal.

Facts

Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012) shows lives lost by suicide have hit a 10 year high with over 2,500 people dying by suicide in 2012 which translates to approximately 7 deaths by suicide each day.

Recent data shows Suicide to be the leading cause of death by injury, ahead of car accidents and numerous other causes. In addition to this, statistics show that suicide takes more lives in Australia than many other causes of death including Skin Cancer. Data indicates that suicide remains more prevalent in males than females with approximately 75% of all deaths by suicide being males and 25% of all deaths by suicide being females (ABS, 2012).

Alarmingly, for every completed suicide it is estimated that 30 people have attempted equating to 200 suicide attempts in Australia every day.

Source: ABS, 2013 The economic, health and social costs associated with suicide are also high. While the emotional impact of suicide on family and friends leading up to and following a suicide is immeasurable, the associated economic costs such as service use pre and post suicide and the impact of lost productivity when a life is lost, is somewhat easier to quantify. A recent report by KPMG of the direct and indirect economic cost of suicide based on the estimated number of suicides, and the estimated cost per suicide in 2012 suggests that the economic burden of suicide in Australia, totaled approximately $1.7 billion for that year alone (KPMG, 2013).

Despite these alarming figures, suicide prevention and support services remain few and greatly underfunded with only a select few receiving government funding to undertake prevention activities.

Risk and Protective Factors Risk and protective factors lay at opposing ends of the same continuum and are made up of individual, social and environmental elements. Examples of these include physical and mental health, social connectedness, ability to cope, and environmental factors such as culture and quality of life. Research recommends a multifaceted approach toward suicide prevention activities including increasing supportive networks, addressing issues of low self esteem and hopelessness, teaching coping skills, and most importantly providing appropriate support and care to suit the individuals needs.

The services CAPS offer aim to provide this very type of support, free of charge, without time limiting restrictions often imposed by other suicide support services.

Female   Male  

0   1000   2000   3000  

Suicide

Skin Cancer

Transport Accidents

Causes  of  Death,  2012  

About CAPSINC

Our Vision

Supported Communities

We hope for a world in which human potential is no longer wasted due to suicide and communities are able to provide adequate support systems and treatment to those with suicidal ideation.

Our Mission Awareness, Education and Support

Our aim is to reduce the prevalence of suicide in communities by offering programs and services that educate, raise awareness and above all provide emotional and practical support to those at risk of suicide and their family and friends. Our goal is to help individuals find strength in their ability to cope, to improve their emotional well-being and build resilience in order to manage the challenges that life presents.

Our Values

Care without constraints

Compassion for others

Openness without judgment

Collaboration to find strength in numbers

Innovation in how we provide support

Excellence in providing services to highest of standards

Integrity in all we do

Our Core Objectives:

•  Provide programs and services that provide support, educate and raise awareness

•  Provide emotional and practical support to those at risk of suicide, their family and friends in order to reduce risk factors, enhance protective factors and to reduce the pressure often associated with suicidal ideation and behavior

•  Implement researched and evaluated suicide prevention education and training programs to the greater community in order to empower individuals with knowledge and skills to enable them to support someone at risk of suicide

•  Raise awareness of the prevalence of suicide throughout communities and de-stigmatise the issue of suicide through appropr ia te and respons ib le media communication

•  Provide a collaborative response to suicide prevention and intervention

CAPS History CAPS was formed in late 2001 by former President of CAPS, Richard Roberts who lost his daughter to Suicide at the age of 15. With the idea of developing a community group to support ‘effective and evidence based’ suicide prevention, CAPS activities were initially focused on undertaking fundraising activities for the Life Promotions Clinic at Griffith University.

In 2007, under the guidance of Carla Pearce, CAPS decided to focus its resources and activities on providing support to individuals at risk of suicide and their family and friends. On World Suicide Prevention Days in September 2007, CAPS opened it’s door at a premises in Toowong. CAPS goal was to establish the Suicide Prevention and Resource Support Service, a 3 year pilot program in early 2008.

Since 2008, the Suicide Prevention and Resource Support Service has helped over 500 families in their battle against suicide.

Today, CAPS has re-branded and launched the TALK SUICIDE Support Service aimed at continuing to help as many people as possible and save lives. With this change is a new website and a 1800 number to enable more people to reach out for help.

TALK SUICIDE Support Service The TALK SUICIDE Support Service is a free service available to support individuals, families and friends of those at risk in the Brisbane area and surrounds. The TALK SUICIDE Support Service provides telephone and face to face support to people 15 years and over.

Our model of service is different but it works. We work together with people at risk of suicide. We don’t see them as ‘patients’ or ‘clients’.

We do not use an office to meet with people at risk, rather, together we will choose a relaxed and neutral environment that is conducive to conversation and establishing a supportive relationship based on confidence and trust.

Our approach is to invest time to establish a relationship of empowerment and support built on empathy, compassion and care. Our focus is to encourage individuals to gain an awareness of their world view and help them to build resistance and confidence that they can be ok.

Our approach has been recognised by the many individuals we have helped, as well as respected academics including Professor Graham Martin, Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The University of Queensland, and Clinical Director of RCH Health Service District Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS).**

Give for Life

One Person can Have an Impact

     

         

One Gesture can Create Change                                

   

One Step can Start a Journey                                            

One Gift can Save a Life

Why donate to CAPS?

With around 7 people dying by suicide every day in Australia, the need for people to have a Support Service willing to guide them through the darkness is crucial.

As we do not receive government funding, we rely solely on the generosity of individuals in the community for donations to enable us to continue our work. With your support we can continue to help people at risk of suicide and their families.

These much needed funds enable us to provide a unique support service entirely focused on the individual. Our Support Consultants coordinate care, attention and emotional support for people at risk of suicide, and their family and friends. The cost to fund one Support Consultant for 3 years is $300,000 which is why your gift - no matter how large or small – can help save lives.

Your donation, be it funds, shares or property, a gift of time, in-kind goods and services, or your bequest, will help prevent the tragic, wasteful loss of life caused by suicide. Your gift may mean one family member or friend will not have to ask themselves the questions: “What could I have done to avoid this terrible event?”; “How did I not know he/she was suffering?”; “Why?”

CAPS Vision for the Future

CAPS intends to increase the success and effectiveness of current suicide prevention activities including treatment, interventions and prevention strategies throughout Australia by:

•  Continuing our current work in supporting individuals at risk of suicide and their family and friends

•  Developing and implementing innovative suicide prevention projects based on best practice research

•  Developing and delivering well-researched suicide prevention education programs to the community, organisations and individuals

•  Actively raise awareness of the prevalence of suicide throughout communities and de-stigmatise the issue of suicide through community forums, information sessions and appropriate and responsible media communication

•  Increasing the number of collaborative relationship to ensure the best possible care for those at risk

In order for our vision to become reality - we need your help.

Ways you can help There are many ways you can help us support those at risk of suicide, be it by hosting your own community fundraising event, volunteering, making a donation, leaving a bequest in your Will, or involving your organisation as a Corporate Partner.

Donate Your donation be it big or small will make a difference. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. To donate, simply complete the donation form attached or visit caps.org.au to donate online.

Fundraise Whether you are an organisation, school, community group or individual, there are many different ways you can fundraise for CAPS.

Why not host an event such as a Charity Auction, Trivia Night or Golf Day?

Do you like to compete in sporting events? You could raise much needed funds for CAPS by simply doing what you love whether it be competing in the Gold Coast Marathon or the Noosa Triathlon.

Leaving a Bequest

You may wish to make a bequest in your Will to continue your support of CAPS.

If you would like to make a bequest, you need to ask your solicitor to insert a clause in your Will.

Corporate Partnerships Some of the ways your business can get involved with CAPS include:

•  Employee Engagement

•  Sponsorships

•  Goods and Services

•  Cause-related marketing

Volunteer

By volunteering your time and skills, you are helping to enable CAPS to continue working with those at risk of suicide and their families.

 

For more information on how you can help, please visit our website caps.org.au or call 1800 008 255.

Donation Form Community Action for the Prevention of Suicide Inc (CAPS) is a not for profit community

organization committed to delivering the most effective suicide prevention and intervention.

Our Vision Supported Communities

We hope for a world in which human potential is no longer wasted due to suicide and communities are able to provide adequate support systems and treatment to those with suicidal ideation.

I share CAPS vision and enclose a donation* to help reach more people and save more lives O $50 O $100 O $200 O $500 O $1000 O Other……………………………. I would like this donation to be deducted:- O Monthly O Quarterly O Annually Mr Ms Mrs Miss Dr Other_______ Name_______________________________________________________________________________ Postal Address_____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone____________________________Mobile_________________________________________ Email_______________________________________________________________________________ Payment Details O Cheque or Money Order (made payable to CAPS Inc) O Visa O Mastercard

□□□□ □□□□ □□□□ □□□□ Expiry □□/□□ Cardholder’s Name____________________________________________________________ Signature_____________________________________________ *Donations $2 and over are tax deductible