A safe space for suicide prevention will launch in Charlestown next month to give people in distress somewhere to turn for help and support.
The space, which will welcome those facing suicidal thoughts or life crises to drop in, will be led by people with experience of living with mental illness.
Healing Path to Wellness, a health charity, will run the space "in response to the alarming demand for accessible care".
Director Craig Sparrow said the charity "aimed to fill gaps in the mental health system".
"For too long, people in our community have been slipping through the cracks," Mr Sparrow said.
Health data shows 1552 people took their lives in Hunter New England from 2011 to 2022, the most of any district in NSW.
The Hunter district's rate of suicides was 14.9 per 100,000 people, above the state rate of 10.8 and national rate of 12.3
Mr Sparrow said suicide deaths were "often triggered by life crises such as financial pressures, relationship breakdowns or poor health outcomes".
"These stressors can build up and amplify anxiety, leading to suicidal thoughts, especially when people feel there are no other hopeful options."
Hugh Boyd, a former Newcastle police officer, will help those in need at the safe space.
Mr Boyd, who experienced PTSD from his police work, said the safe space would help "people who are really suffering find some peace and equilibrium".
"Being alongside someone in their darkest hour and showing them there's hope is the whole idea," he said.
With support, he said, "comes improved quality of life, better family connection and good things for the community".
Mr Boyd said everyone's experiences in life, good and bad, "helps acquire wisdom, strength and mental fortitude".
"Sometimes the pits and lows can be longer than others, but it will always pick up," he said.
"Hope is contagious and pivotal for our communities. Positive change is attainable. It reaffirms that you matter, you belong and that you're needed."
Mr Boyd said everyone was "unique and beautiful in their own right" and "kindness, respect and non-judgement" were crucial.
"I'm still yet to meet a perfect or normal person. If you find one, let me know," he said.
The safe space, to open on October 14, will operate on Mondays from 5.30pm to 9.30pm as an after-hours, drop-in style space.
"We plan to expand to more weeknights. The next addition will be a Tuesday night," Mr Sparrow said.
"We're committed to making this a long-term initiative."
He said it was crucial to have "an alternative to hospital emergency departments every night of the week".
It was also "astonishing" that two-thirds of mental health presentations at emergency departments were turned away "often because the system is overwhelmed or lacks the capacity to help".
At Hunter New England hospital emergency departments alone, more than 15,000 people presented for mental health-related issues in 2022-23.
Newcastle's state-funded Safe Haven, run by suicide prevention and mental health peer workers, is open from Friday to Sunday from 4pm to 9pm.
A parliamentary inquiry into mental health care in NSW, released in June, recommended the Safe Haven program be made a 24/7 service.
The Minns government is evaluating Safe Havens.
Mr Sparrow said his organisation's safe space would complement the government's Safe Haven at Hamilton.
He said Roses in the Ocean, a national suicide organisation, had provided a $20,000 grant for the safe space.
A further $56,000 had been raised, but an additional $35,000 was needed to fully fund its first year.
Healing Path to Wellness is moving from Pelican to Hilltop Arcade in Charlestown for a more central location.
It will open from Monday to Wednesday from 10am to 4pm and Thursdays from 12pm to 7pm, offering mental health support services.
"This safe space is a natural extension of the support we've been offering since our inception five years ago," Mr Sparrow said.
- Support is available by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
