Uniting the alcohol and other drugs sector in suicide prevention

Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services frequently support people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours. 

However, suicide prevention training tailored to the AOD workforce is rare and many workers lack the confidence to ensure an effective and satisfying response.

Spurred on by the voices of lived experience advocates, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative (the Collaborative) called for training to empower the AOD workforce to provide person-centred suicide prevention support and connection.

With funding from COORDINARE - South Eastern NSW PHN, the Collaborative partnered with SafeSide Prevention to customise the SafeSide Prevention Program to meet the needs and experiences of the AOD sector. 

The SafeSide Framework for Suicide Prevention - Alcohol and Other Drugs, which will be launched on April 19, is the culmination of a long-term collaboration to unite the AOD workforce around a common language and map of best practice. 

The goal of this new suicide prevention workshop is to provide a refreshing and unique educational resource for the AOD workforce with examples that highlight some of the complexity and nuances that people they help may face. 

This co-design project was informed by the expertise of the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA). It was driven from start to finish by individuals with lived experience from the Collaborative, with members of the AOD workforce also playing a central role throughout.  

Thank you to everyone who helped bring this project to life. 

- Dr Tony Pisani