A critical phone support service will be launched to tackle record high suicide rates across Victoria, where up to three people are taking their own lives every week.
The cost-of-living crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have had a devastating impact on mental health, leading to an increase in demand for phone support services such as Lifeline. However, about 18 per cent of their calls go unanswered.
Lifeline Narrm will be launched in Melbourne on Thursday to alleviate pressure on the national system as Victoria continues to lead demand on its services.
Death by suicide rose by nine per cent in Victoria from 2021 to 2022, which is the highest the state has seen in 23 years.
In some parts of Melbourne, particularly in the Merri-bek to Manningham area, about a dozen suicides occur each month.
During the pandemic, just four per cent of calls were answered in Victoria, which prompted the urgent need to escalate support services across the state.
“Lifeline receives a call every 30 seconds, many of which are from Victoria, so it’s important that we prioritise on-ground services to help as many people as we can and alleviate the pressure on the national system,” Lifeline Narrm chief executive Carrie Leeson said.
“We are currently training community volunteers to answer the calls of their local community, which will make an immense difference to helping those in need across the state and country.”
Lifeline Narrm will service Melbourne’s inner city and eastern suburbs, including Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Richmond, Hawthorn, Glen Iris, Croydon and Chirnside Park.
It was named in consultation with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
Nationally, Lifeline received a record 1,070,860 calls in 2021, with an average call answer rate of about 90 per cent.
Data from Lifeline’s search engine show there were more than 26,000 searches for assistance and support in January across Australia, the highest number on record.
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– AAP
