A free toolkit is available for Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to support Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans living in their health network region.
Suicide Prevention for Veterans: A Toolkit for Primary Health Networks was developed in collaboration with Black Dog Institute and The Oasis Townsville. The aim of the toolkit is to support Australia’s 31 PHNs to deliver more targeted and responsive mental health services to veterans who currently struggle to receive the care they need. Given that many ADF veterans engage with community-based health services, it is important that PHNs can support existing healthcare services and create networks for veterans to access and receive suitable care in a supportive community.
The toolkit guides PHNs in establishing the needs of veterans residing in the PHN area, understanding diversity, and the challenges veterans may encounter when engaging with the health system.
One section of the toolkit features tools and practical actions PHNs can take to support the prevention of suicide for ADF veterans. The toolkit emphasises the importance and value of lived experience in suicide prevention.
In addition, the toolkit includes short case study examples to provide PHNs with suggested activities that may be adaptable for their region. This includes a suicide prevention action plan framework and evaluation plan to guide PHN activity.
Black Dog Institute and The Oasis Townsville work closely with PHNs and relevant veteran organisations, including Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs, to best utilise the toolkit, emphasising the role of primary care in providing meaningful support to veterans across Australia.
“Addressing the challenge of veteran suicide is urgent work that with the current Royal Commission has now been thrust into the national consciousness,” said Janey McGoldrick, Head of Implementation at Black Dog Institute.
“The aim of this toolkit is to leverage the strengths of PHNs in addressing veteran requirements, and to encourage veteran awareness and engagement with primary health care to improve their mental health outcomes.”
Download the toolkit here.
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