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Suicide Prevention
Chapions of suicide prevention
Lifeline is dedicated to the prevention of suicide in Australia and to raising awareness about suicide and the help-seeking options available.
Our 24-hour Crisis Support Service was initially established to ensure people who had thoughts of suicide had someone to talk to any time of the day or night. Today, people from all walks of life call the Crisis Line, yet still approximately one in every 40 calls are about suicide.
Lifeline offers community education programs throughout the Queensland on suicide awareness. UnitingCare Community operates two training programs that teach participants to learn when someone may be at risk of suicide and to respond in ways that link them with further suicide intervention help. The LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid and LivingWorks SafeTalk is a half day presentation on suicide alertness.
Lifeline Suicide Bereavement Groups - Brisbane
In Brisbane, Lifeline offers a monthly peer support group and an 8-week professionally facilitated psycho-educational group. These groups aim to provide information about suicide, guidance, support and contact with others who have experienced a similar loss.
The psycho-educational suicide bereavement groups are free, usually small and meet once a week for 8 sessions at Chermside or Fortitude Valley. If you would like to find out when the next group is being scheduled or talk to the group coordinator, please contact Lyndall on 3624 2400.
Standby Suicide Response - Brisbane and Far North Queensland
StandBy is a Suicide Bereavement Response Service that provides a 24-hour coordinated community crisis response to families, friends and associates who have been bereaved through suicide. StandBy respects, understands and supports the health and well-being of people bereaved by suicide. Our service is available for you regardless of where or when your loss occurred. Currently this program is run by UnitingCare Community and the service is offered from North Brisbane to Logan and Far North Queensland.
Brisbane and Logan service
To access StandBy you can contact the Coordinator on the 24-hour crisis number on 0438 150 180, or via our StandBy office during business hours on (07) 3250 1856 to arrange a suitable time for StandBy to call you. Standby is available 24-hours and on weekends and public holidays.
Far North Queensland service
StandBy Far North Queensland has services in Cardwell to the south, Torres Strait to the north and Karumba to the west.
StandBy Far North Queensland has services in Cardwell to the south, Torres Strait to the north and Karumba to the west.
To access StandBy you can contact the coordinator on the StandBy 24-hour crisis number 0459 299 147, or via UnitingCare Community office during business hours on (07) 40 50 4955 to arrange a suitbable time for StandBy to call you.
Lifeline's Responding to Issues of Suicide program - Cooloola Region 
This program involves assisting people in the Cooloola region to be aware of the issues surrounding suicide including prevention and bereavement. It also aims to offer support to survivors of suicide – those people left behind after a loved one has chosen to suicide.
By networking with other community groups, conducting workshops and days of remembrance, the Responding to Issues of Suicide program aims to reach out across the ripple that suicide creates in our community. To contact the Responding to Issues of Suicide Program, please call 5480 3400.
Lifeline's Suicide Responsive Intervention and Supportive Care Program - Cairns and Cassowary Coast
The Suicide Responsive Intervention and Supportive Care program offers short-term telephone support for individuals in Cairns or Cassowary Coast who are in a current suicidal crisis.
This Lifeline program aims to help clients stay safe, build resilience and coping skills, and establish links with personal and professional supports. Once the client has been assessed for eligibility, an experienced volunteer Telephone Crisis Supporter will call them at regular intervals for a period of up to eight weeks. Please read the factsheet for more information on the program and referral procedure.
To contact Lifeline's Suicide Responsive Intervention and Suppotive Care Program, please call Project Officer Jenna Varley on 07 4050 4955 or email jenna [dot] varley [at] uccommunity [dot] org [dot] au
Helpful links
The Commonwealth government’s Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) website is a world-class suicide and self-harm prevention resource. Dedicated to providing the best available evidence and resources to guide activities aimed at reducing the rate at which people take their lives in Australia, the LIFE website is designed for people across the community who are involved in suicide and self-harm prevention activities.
