Provision of national data on paramedic call outs to suicidal and self-harming events

The successful applicant will deliver a monitoring system of acute overdose and mental health-related ambulance presentations (where self-harm or suicidal behaviour is involved) at a population level.

The primary output of this project will be the provision of data to States and Territories for monitoring emerging patterns of ambulance attendances on alcohol and other drug attendances, and self-harm and suicidal behaviour and to the AIHW for inclusion in the Suicide and Self-harm Monitoring System.

Funding for this project represents value for money, given the lack of data available on suicidal behaviour and overdose and will develop a high-quality data set that will provide ongoing benefit to the Commonwealth Government and the National Suicide and Self-harm Monitoring System.

The estimated economic cost of suicide in Australia is $2.2 billion per annum (KPMG, 2017), with death by suicide the leading cause of death in people aged 15 to 44 years. As such, this project will contribute to an evidence base that will assist governments, services and the community in their suicide prevention and intervention activities.