Suicide prevention is a shared effort, shaped by community.
These frameworks describe government policy, service-provider responsibilities and community-led
approaches in different ways. This page explains their scope and points to the official sources.
It is general information, not legal advice or a promise that a particular service or referral is available.
Photo: Ubirr rock art, Kakadu National Park, by Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Rock art is the cultural heritage of the Traditional Owners of the place where it is found.
Legislation, government strategies and service resources are not interchangeable. Whether a legal
duty applies depends on the activity, organisation and service-provider status.
The Act commenced on 1 September 2023 and replaced the Mental Health Act 2014. It sets system
objectives and principles for covered mental health and wellbeing services, including dignity
and autonomy, supported decision-making, lived-experience participation, diverse needs and
culturally safe and responsive care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Covered providers must make all reasonable efforts to comply with the principles and give them
proper consideration when making decisions under the Act. The Victorian Department of Health
describes the Act's scope as state-funded mental health and wellbeing service providers. It is
not a blanket suicide-prevention or crisis-response law for every charity, website or community
group. Whether it applies to a particular organisation or service depends on its status, functions
and funding.
This is Victoria's 10-year, whole-of-government and community-wide strategy. It replaces the
Victorian Suicide Prevention Framework 2016–2025 and is supported by an accountability
framework and rolling implementation plans. The first implementation plan covered 2024–2026;
check the Department's current publications for any successor plan before relying on specific
actions or dates.
The strategy identifies Aboriginal self-determination as a guiding principle. The Department
describes work to co-design an Aboriginal-led approach through the Balit Durn Durn Centre of
Excellence for Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing. The strategy is government policy;
it does not by itself authorize an organisation to act for a community or establish a partnership.
The VAAF guides how the Victorian Government plans, acts, measures and evaluates work with
Aboriginal Victorians, with self-determination and government accountability at its centre.
It is policy, not legislation, and does not automatically impose government reporting duties on
every Victorian organisation.
At the time of review (15 October 2026), the official page described the 2018–2023 framework as
extended until June 2025 while a replacement was being developed; a replacement was not linked
on that page. Its post-2025 status is therefore uncertain here and should be checked against
current official announcements.
Photo: Hands on Rock, Goulburn River National Park, by Bushmanbob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Rock art is the cultural heritage of the Traditional Owners of the place where it is found.
First Nations-led systems approach
Local leadership comes first.
The Lowitja Institute's 2025 framework, developed through Aboriginal-led collaboration, describes
suicide prevention as connected work across community, health, education, justice, social services
and government—not an issue for individuals or First Nations services to carry alone.
Self-determination
Community empowerment, cultural continuity and local decision-making are foundational.
Holistic, connected action
The framework centres social and emotional wellbeing, culture and community strengths across five connected areas of action.
Place-based, not a blueprint
Local needs, priorities and strengths differ. Relationship-building and community decision-making take time.
A clear threshold for our planning: the framework says that a local suicide-prevention
process should not proceed unless the relevant local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
community has identified and endorsed the need. Our organisation's planning adopts this as a
prerequisite for place-based or First Nations-specific initiatives. This statement is not evidence
of a current partnership, local endorsement or authority to act for any community.
The framework's five implementation phases—deep listening; gathering partners and knowledge;
creating a shared vision; scaling what works; and sustaining change—are interlinked and may take
different paths and time in different places. It is a systems guide, not a clinical protocol.
The National Suicide Prevention Office Community Toolkit includes a facilitator guide, slide deck,
templates, animation and videos. It is intended to help communities discuss priorities and practical
action—not to assess or treat individuals.
Be clear about the session's purpose, boundaries and how participants' input will be used.
Respect lived and living experience without expecting anyone to disclose personal experiences.
Offer different ways to contribute, including listening, writing, small groups or passing on a question.
Arrange a support person, display verified local support information, and make breaks and stepping out easy.
Use culturally responsive, accessible language and adapt the materials with the people and community involved.
Follow up with useful resources and share themes without identifying contributors unless they have given permission.
A toolkit is not a crisis plan.
A workshop should not invite disclosures beyond what its facilitators, support arrangements and referral
pathways can safely respond to. The national toolkit does not replace local First Nations governance
or community-led adaptation.
Government strategies and frameworks can guide planning, but they do not mean this website or
organisation is a clinical provider, crisis-response service, community-controlled organisation
or government partner. Local services, eligibility, funding arrangements and policy updates can change.
This page was reviewed on 15 October 2026 and should be checked against official sources before
making operational or legal decisions. For current support options, visit
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