Supporting population needs-based planning for suicide prevention services: development of the Australian Suicide Prevention Planning Model (AuSPPM)

BackgroundImproving the translation of evidence to support suicide prevention planning is a national priority in Australia. However, there has been limited practical guidance available on how much of what types of services should be made available for which populations.ObjectiveThis project aimed to develop an initial proof-of-concept national needs-based planning model for suicide prevention services in Australia, to help inform planning and commissioning of services at the national, state/territory and regional level.MethodsA mixed methods approach synthesised best available literature, data, and expert (including lived experience) input to: (1) estimate the numbers of people in service need groups requiring similar responses (by age, level of distress); (2) describe a taxonomy of services required for population suicide prevention; (3) estimate the average types and quantities of these services required for each need group in a year; (4) identify the appropriate workforce to deliver that care; and (5) combine these inputs to estimate required resourcing for service planning (e.g., full-time equivalent workforce).ResultsThe Australian Suicide Prevention Planning Model (AuSPPM) describes 37 need groups across ages 12-17, 18-24, 25-64 and 65+ requiring a range of suicide prevention services from population-level programs to individualised clinical and non-clinical supports. A substantial workforce is required to provide good care for these populations and scale up prevention activities, particularly development of the lived experience workforce and alternatives to medical services.ConclusionsThis project demonstrates the feasibility of developing a needs-based planning model for suicide prevention. However, aspects of the model would benefit from a more robust evidence base on population needs and service effectiveness. Further work is needed to consider how the model can best accommodate the specific service needs of different populations disproportionately impacted by suicide, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and LGBTQIA+ populations.