Black Dog Institute Suicide Prevention Capacity Building Program

The Suicide Prevention Capacity Building Program is an evidence-based, six-module workshop-based initiative designed to empower local communities to address their unique suicide prevention needs.

Delivered by our Suicide Prevention Implementation team, the program supports participants in building effective suicide prevention collaboratives, fostering collaboration, and developing targeted, community-driven strategies. It includes tools, resources and guidance to map existing services, identify gaps, set priorities, and measure impact, all while integrating lived experience perspectives into every stage of planning and implementation.

The program has so far been delivered to 23 of the 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs) across the country, with nearly all PHNs expected to complete the program by July 2025, thanks to the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Grant. The program is now open to all suicide prevention and aligned professionals with an interest in establishing suicide prevention collaboratives anywhere in Australia.

We know that suicide prevention requires locally tailored solutions. Traditional top-down approaches can sometimes fail to address the complexity of regional suicide prevention work. This program was created to bridge that gap, equipping communities, Primary Health Networks (PHNs), and organisations with the skills, resources and frameworks to lead effective, place-based suicide prevention initiatives. It provides structure and support for collaboration across sectors, ensuring that no community works in isolation.

The program:

• Is evidence-based: The program was developed based on the LifeSpan model and trials, the National Suicide Prevention Trial and suicide prevention research.
• Offers locally tailored strategies: It provides the tools and knowledge to empower communities to identify and address their own unique challenges.
• Has a collaborative framework: By bringing together stakeholders across government, health services, non-government organisations (NGOs), and people with lived experience, the program creates stronger, more coordinated suicide prevention efforts.
• Provides practical tools: Modules guide participants through systems approaches, governance, interpreting and utilising data, understanding and incorporating lived and living experience voices and priority populations.
• Has measurable impact: The program concludes with an evaluation module to ensure participants can monitor and assess the effectiveness of their initiatives.

The Black Dog Institute’s Suicide Prevention Capacity Building Program has demonstrated its impact across the country. Some examples include:

1. Goldfields, Western Australia: This remote region faced a need for a cohesive, strategic approach to suicide prevention. Through the program, participants representing a wide range of industries, including NGOs, health, education and First Nations communities, built on their existing skills and confidence to address local mental health challenges. As a result, a new regional collaboration has been established to sustain long-term, community-driven solutions for suicide prevention.
2. Gold Coast, Queensland: The program helped establish the groundwork for a collaborative effort to unite key stakeholders, such as local NGOs, multicultural organisations and police, around a shared vision for suicide prevention. Participants emphasised how the program facilitated stronger relationships, increased collaboration and empowered lived experience voices in shaping solutions tailored to the region’s needs.
3. South East Perth (SESPA): Focused on young people, SESPA participants used the program to map existing services, identify gaps, and explore ways to improve support for their priority population. The program fostered deeper collaboration across community members and strengthened their capacity to tackle the mental health challenges faced by youth, such as financial pressures and domestic violence, which correlate with poor mental health outcomes.
4. North Sydney PHN: In this region, the program united stakeholders from health services, local health districts and councils, along with representatives from priority populations such as LGBTIQA+ communities, men, CALD and veterans. Through collaboration, participants strengthened their skills in community engagement and service coordination, fostering a dedicated network, aiming to bridge gaps and deliver culturally responsive, community-led suicide prevention strategies.

By 2025, Black Dog Institute aims to:

• Deliver the program to most of the 31 PHNs across Australia.
• Expand the availability of the program to a broader audience, including state departments of health, NGOs and other aligned sectors.
• Continue fostering collaboration and building capacity to ensure that all communities are equipped to develop and implement impactful, sustainable suicide prevention initiatives.

Communities and organisations can get involved by contacting Black Dog Institute’s Suicide Prevention Implementation team to discuss their needs and explore how the Program can support their efforts.