The Northern Adelaide Suicide Prevention Collaborative

Adelaide PHN is proud to commission Aspire Recovery Connection to establish the Northern Adelaide Suicide Prevention Collaborative, a vital new initiative aimed at reducing suicides in the Northern Adelaide region.  

Aspire Recovery Connection is dedicated to empowering individuals and communities supporting mental wellbeing through connection and understanding, making them the ideal partner for this project. 

The Suicide Prevention Collaborative seeks to empower community members, individuals with lived experience, and organisations to come together collectively to better respond to suicide. By focusing on local needs and priorities, the initiative will build the capacity of its members and engage the community as an active partner in developing effective, place-based solutions. 

Throughout the project, Aspire Recovery Connection will collaborate with Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY) and the Northern Adelaide Mental Health Alliance. This partnership will embed lived experience and cultural knowledge into the planning, design, and delivery of the initiative’s activities, ensuring that all efforts are both inclusive and effective. 

Danni Bament, Director of Aspire Recovery, highlighted the initiative's focus on supporting Aboriginal communities, who are disproportionately affected by suicide due to factors such as racism and intergenerational trauma.  

“Through collaboration with Aboriginal elders and community members, we aim to develop new approaches to healing and wellbeing that will benefit the entire community.” 

“This project will also educate non-Aboriginal groups on culturally responsive practices, ensuring that we create inclusive and effective solutions for everyone,” Bament said. 

The initiative is part of the Targeted Regional Initiatives to Suicide Prevention Program (TRISP), which supports investments to address gaps in local suicide prevention systems and builds capacity for a systems-based approach to suicide prevention. Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, TRISP is a short-term measure set to conclude on 30 June 2025.  

Tamira Pascoe, Executive Manager MHAOD and Procurement has highlighted that suicidal behaviours are shaped by the social, economic and physical environments in which we live, which underscores how vital it is to collaborate with communities to develop solutions.  

“Effective responses to suicide come from the local community, as they understand what works best for their area.” 

“The Collaborative will support the local community in raising awareness, reducing stigma, providing essential resources, and building a network of collaboration and comprehensive responses that ensures no one has to face their struggles alone,” Pascoe said.  

Adelaide PHN remains committed to supporting the development and establishment of a Collaborative in Central and Southern Adelaide, with further updates to come. This collaboration aligns with Adelaide PHN’s vision of creating a healthier and more equitable Adelaide. Recognising that suicide does not discriminate, it is vital that we continue working alongside local communities, government, service providers, and agencies to build capacity for delivering essential early intervention and suicide prevention support in the regions that need it most. 

For more information on the project, please contact Danielle Bament at danni@aspirerecovery.com.au.