Latest statistics released by Peter Dunne show suicide numbers are reducing:
Newly released suicide and self-harm hospitalisation data for 2009, the most recent year available, shows New Zealand’s suicide rate is being reduced (there’s quite a lag for these statistics due to having to wait for cornoers reports).
2009 – 506 deaths
1998 – 15.5 per 100,000
2008 – 11.8 per 100,000
2009 – 11.2 per 100,000
Youth suicide:
1995 – 44.1 per 100,000
2009 – 29.0 per 100,000
Still far too high but an improving trend.
“We have a significant youth suicide issue, particularly among young men, and that is why the Government is investing $62 million over four years in the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project announced earlier this month.”
“We want every young person who needs help to receive it in a way that works for them – and that is why the package will be delivered through schools, health professionals, online and at home. “We also want parents to know where to turn which is why we’ve developed a new fund to provide information to parents, families and friends.
“Alongside this package we will be developing a new Suicide Prevention Action Plan this year. This will be a cross-government agency initiative that I will be leading to further tackle the issue of suicide.
” The 10 year Suicide Prevention Strategy 2006–2016 and associated four-year Action Plan 2008–2012 form the backbone of Government-led suicide prevention.
The Government will this year develop the next stage four-year Action Plan covering 2013 to 2016.
There are concerns the statistics take so long to become available but this is being worked on. The 2010 figures will be available later this year.
From press release and full report.
Resources for support and help for individuals:
Helplines
• Lifeline 0800 543 354
• Lifeline’s Suicide helpline 0508 TAUTOKO
• Youthline 0800 376 633
• Kidsline 0800 543 754 (weekdays 4-6 pm)
• What’s Up 0800 942 8787 (noon to midnight 7 days, for young people aged 5 to 18)
• Depression Helpline 0800 111 757
• Samaritans 0800 826 666 (lower North Island and Upper South Island) provides confidential, non-judgmental emotional support through their telephone helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to people in distress and at risk of dying by suicide.
• Healthline 0800 611 116
Websites
• The Lowdown (for young people) www.thelowdown.org.nz or freetext 5626
• The Depression website www.depression.org.nz provides information about depression and an online depression self-management programme ‘The Journal’ presented by John Kirwan, which is backed up by online and phone based personalised support services.
• Samaritans www.samaritans.org.nz
Services
• Primary care professionals or general practitioners.
• Community mental health service through the local district health boards (contact details in the white pages or at www.moh.govt.nz/districthealthboards
Support for families and friends
• Victim Support
http://www.victimsupport.org.nz
provides support for victims of trauma.
• Skylight
http://www.skylight.org.nz/
provides services to support those facing loss, trauma and grief.
General Information Sources
• Ministry of Health www.moh.govt.nz/suicideprevention – information about suicide and suicide prevention, facts, and Ministry publications
• Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand www.spinz.org.nz – the national information service to provide high quality information to promote safe and effective suicide prevention activities.
• The Mental Health Foundation www.mentalhealth.org.nz provides free information and training, and advocates for policies and services that support people with experience of mental illness, and also their families/whanau and friends.
