Metro Postvention Response Group

200% of people who are bereaved by suicide experience an increased risk of suicide themselves. 1/2 of those who died, did so in the first 3 months.

(Hill et al., 2020)

What is Suicide Postvention?

Postvention support refers to activities and strategies (interventions) implemented after the tragic event of a death by suicide. It is defined as “intervention efforts for individuals bereaved or impacted by suicide are implemented to support the grieving process and reduce the possibility of imitative suicidal behaviour. These interventions may comprise of school-based, family focused or community-based postvention initiatives.

What is Postvention Response Group?

In Perth metropolitan area, if a suicide will impact a large amount of people, we may activate the ‘Metro Postvention Response Group’ (MPVRG). This is a group of support services providers, people with lived experience and cultural representation, who will meet to create a plan to support as many people as possible and/or make them aware of how they can access support if needed. We aim to get the right support to you and the communities, without duplicating services or overwhelming families.  

The MPVRG offers expertise, support and local knowledge to provide critical postvention supports to those bereaved, impacted by or exposed to suicide, including links to holistic community support, in a timely manner. The response group will identify actions already underway and support services to prepare for the potential of increased service demand. 

Who is involved? 

• Western Australian Police Force (WAPOL)
• Anglicare WA (Metro Postvention Coordinator, ARBOR & CYPRESS Team)
• StandBy Support After Suicide
• Mental Health Commission
• Catholic Education of Western Australia
• Department of Education
• Department of Communities
• Be You, headspace Schools and Communities
• Thirrili
• Aboriginal Medical Services - Derbarl Yerrigan
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
• North, South and East Metropolitan Health Services
• Youth Focus

What happens? 

At the meeting we will discuss basic demographic information of your loved one to ensure we support everyone in their community who has been impacted by the loss. Being able to discuss these details allows the team to better identify family and community support needs, service gaps and distribute support service information to family, friends and the wider community in a coordinated and timely manner.

All members of the MPVRG are bound by confidentiality agreements and privacy laws, and we value/respect your family and loved one's privacy and confidential information. Specific details of family members, friends and those impacted are not disclosed at the meeting.

Need Help?

If you are in crisis and feeling suicidal, please phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or QLife on 1800 184 527.

Locations:
StandBy Support After Suicide provides support across all regions of Western Australia, providing outreach to even the most hard-to-reach areas if needed. Please phone 1300 727 247 to be connected to your local StandBy service for support 24/7.

Contact us:
North Metro Email: metro.postvention@anglicarewa.org.au
South Metro Email: - metro.postvention@anglicarewa.org.au

Resources

Download our Metro Postvention Protocols 
Click here to read our case study on Postvention Suicide Response and the story of Yanchep.

The Metro Postvention Response Coordination is funded by the Mental Health Commission until June 2025.