Government Delivers on Male Suicide Prevention Funding
Parents Beyond Breakup is one of “four trusted organisations” awarded funding to deliver national male suicide prevention services, recognising the organisation’s leadership in saving more men from suicide.
Government Ministers Greg Hunt MP, and David Coleman MP, jointly announced that Parents Beyond Breakup will receive $1.92 million under the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Programme (NSPLSP).
In welcoming the funding CEO Gillian Hunt said: “We are delighted to be a first-time recipient under this three-year program. This announcement delivers on the government’s commitment to fund male suicide prevention programmes and is a watershed for Parents Beyond Breakup in acknowledging the lifesaving work and outcomes of our services.”
PBB will deliver evidence-based male suicide prevention support services and will enable the organisation to extend their Dads in Distress face-to-face services across all states and territories.
“There has never been a more critical time to support men and fathers across Australia in providing peer-based lived experience support,” PBB Chairman Brendan Blomeley said. “This funding will put Dads in Distress on the national map and within reach of fathers across all states and territories.”
The Parents Beyond Breakup model offers peer supported, Lived Experience, suicide prevention services through support groups (in-person and online) and a National Suicide Helpline which responds earlier to distress to prevent suicide. PBB’s abiding mission is to keep parents alive and in their kids’ lives.
“We know that our model works – men who come to us for help consistently find benefit through our National Helpline and/or attending the in person and online Dads in Distress support groups,” Gillian commented.
“This is an evidence-based proven model that saves lives and helps families and communities. A focus on men, supported by lived experience is where budget expenditure will realise the most value.”
For those attending the sessions, the self-reported sense of suicidality significantly drops after three sessions (for up to 80% of attendees). Similarly, almost all people calling the Helpline (95%) report a dramatic decrease in stress levels and a heightened sense of connection.
ABOUT PBB
As a national suicide prevention charity operating for over 20 years, Parents Beyond Breakup is focused solely on supporting separating parents experiencing trauma through family breakdown, a factor closely linked to suicide.
Every year over 3,000 Australians die by suicide with issues in spousal relationships the third most cited common risk factor for males compared to seventh for females. Consistent with previous years, males are around three times more likely to die by suicide than females.
About 80% of parents supported by PBB are dads.
SUPPORT
Those experiencing distress during family separation and in need of support:
HELPLINE 1300 853 437
Mon-Sat, 08:30am – 5pm AEST or
WEBSITE:
MEDIA CONTACT
For further media enquiries, background or to arrange an interview with Parents Beyond Breakup:
Gillian Hunt
Chief Executive Officer
Mobile: 0409 929 387
Email: gillian.hunt@parentsbeyondbreakup.com