No suicide prevention policy at university

Corinda Taylor
Corinda Taylor
A mental health advocate is questioning why the University of Otago does not have a formal suicide prevention policy in place, four years after she asked for one.

Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust chairwoman Corinda Taylor said she approached the university about the importance of having a prevention and postvention policy in 2014, a year after her son lost his life by suicide.

Ms Taylor said the result of an Official Information Act request arrived last week, in which the university said a framework was being developed. She said the wait was "disappointing".

"We need to have systems in place, not just for prevention but for post-vention."

She said she had had feedback from students saying the six free counselling sessions provided by the university's student health service were insufficient.

"There is a real struggle for many, many students that can't afford counselling outside the six free sessions."'

Earlier this week, The New Zealand Herald reported the university had four suspected suicides by students last year, the highest number of four education providers - Otago, AUT, Waikato and Canterbury- that provided figures to an Official Information Act request from the newspaper.

All eight universities were asked to provide their best estimate of numbers of suicides in the past year, with four (Auckland, Lincoln,  Victoria and Massey universities) opting not to.

The figures provided came from the universities asked, rather than the Coroner’s Office.

University of Otago Student Health operations manager Margaret Perley said in response to Ms Taylor's concerns the university had a "responsive" Healthy University Advisory Group that had been operating since late 2015.

"Among other work, this group is currently drafting a university-wide framework for suicide prevention in the university, that will provide possible recommendations about interventions across our whole system, many of which have been put in place in recent years."

She said many students did not require all the counselling sessions the university offered.

"The majority of students are able to work through the issues within this brief intervention framework and do not require ongoing or long-term support."

Ms Perley said the service had a triage system, and created a plan with each student experiencing mental distress. Depending on what was required, assistance could include counselling, clinical psychology, or interviews with a GP or consultant psychiatrist.

Clinicians at student health had developed close relationships with the regional suicide prevention co-ordinator and the suicide post-vention group, as well as Southern District Health Board mental health services.

In June, the Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust opened the Hope Centre to support people navigating the mental health system and connect them to the right agencies, plus supported people after a suicide attempt and supported bereaved families.

People could walk in from 10am to 4pm on Fridays, or book appointments at other times of the week, Ms Taylor said.

WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your local GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.

Healthline: 0800 611 116
Lifeline Aotearoa: 0800 543 354
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Samaritans: 0800 726 666
Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797
General mental health inquiries: 0800 443 366
The Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757
Homecare Medical: 24-hour 1737 free text/phone
Youthline: 0800 376 633, txt 234 or talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up (for 5-18 year olds; 1pm-11pm): 0800 942 8787
Kidsline (aimed at children up to age 14; 4pm-6pm weekdays): 0800 54 37 54 (0800 kidsline)

 

Comments

Our son was seen by the mental health team at Student Health. The care and treatment he received there was exceptional and we are so very grateful to them for what they have done, not only for him but for us as a family. Their practice is evidence based and delivered with respect and kindness. They are trying to make themselves available to an increasing demand, and refer on where necessary to other services for ongoing follow up, as is the case with our son. To provide more than 6 sessions would be to the exclusion of others. To imply there is a full stop at the end of this is misleading.

 

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