Funding for services to prevent drought induced suicide

Tuesday 17 October 2006

The University of Newcastle has been granted $915,000 from the Australian Government for a new initiative to prevent suicide and respond to the mental health needs of farmers struggling with the current drought.

The Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health (CRRMH)* will work with project partners to increase the capacity of service providers in rural and remote NSW to recognise signs of distress and respond effectively to the mental health needs of farmers and farming families.

The project partners are the NSW Farmers' Association, Greater Western Area Health Service, North Coast Area Health Service, Hunter New England Area Health Service and the Greater Southern Area Health Service.

Anne Tonna, Executive Officer for the CRRMH, said the project will build the capacity of services to respond to the more than 90,000 people estimated to be directly employed in agriculture in NSW.

"Recent research has found that farmers and farm workers have a higher suicide rate, than non-farming men in rural areas.

"Under this initiative, health services will link more closely with front-line rural support workers to provide a unique opportunity to ensure the people who have the most frequent contact with farmers are more confident and knowledgeable in responding to farmers' distress."

Anne said this would involve developing networks of government and non-government organisations, counselling services and agricultural support agencies. It would also ensure that all services understood the stressors facing farmers, and developed strategies for working collaboratively to respond to the farming community.

*The Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health in Orange is a major rural initiative of the University of Newcastle, the NSW Centre for Mental Health (NSW Health) and the Greater Western Area Health Service.

For media comment, Anne Tonna, Executive Officer (Development), Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, on 02 6360 7836.