You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page.
Skip to content
Contact us
Emergency information
Print Page
Increase Font Size
Decrease Font Size
Menu
NSW Health
Search Keywords
Search
Menu
COVID-19
COVID-19 in NSW
NSW Government - COVID-19
Guidelines and fact sheets
Register a positive rapid antigen test
Find a testing clinic
Statistics and surveillance
Information for people with disability
COVID-19 vaccination in NSW
Information for the NSW community
Information for community pharmacists
Information for NSW Health immunisation providers
Public
Helpful information
Find information by health topic
Find a hospital / health service
Emergency department waiting times
Patient care
Mental health
Aboriginal health
Aged care
Disability
Transport for health
Children and families
Kids and families
Pregnancy options
Assisted reproductive technology
Save the date to vaccinate
Violence, abuse and neglect
Healthy living
Awareness and prevention
Immunisation
Oral health
Emergency preparedness
Sexual health
Ending HIV
Community sharps management
Staying safe at Sydney WorldPride
Improving your health
Healthy eating active living
Quitting smoking
Environmental health
Hepatitis B and C
Women's health
Your Room - Information about alcohol and other drugs
Professionals
For general practitioners
Infectious diseases
Immunisation
Tobacco and smoking cessation
Control guidelines
Disease notification
Child weight management resources
For health professionals
Alcohol and other drugs
Nursing and midwifery
Pharmaceuticals
Private health facilities
Public health legislation
Clinical ethics
Preconception, maternity, and child and family health
Interpreting/translating and multicultural health services
Research
Open data
Search open data site
Search via topics
Medical research
NSW Health and Medical Research
Healthcare innovation portal
New health technologies
Human tissue
Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation
Population health
Epidemiology and evidence
NSW population health surveys
HealthStats NSW
Careers
For jobseekers
Search for a job
Recruitment initiatives
Training programs
Aboriginal workforce - Stepping Up
Imagine Rural
For students
Scholarships and training programs
Clinical placements
Map My Health Career
Workforce and employment
Workforce planning and culture
Remuneration and conditions
Recruitment and employment policies
Human resources - e-compendium
Medical career planning
Senior executives
Publications
Publications and resources
Fact sheets
Publications
Multilingual resources
Reports
Safety alerts
RSS feeds
Policies and procedures
Policy and procedure manuals
Policy directives, guidelines and information bulletins
Media
Media releases
NSW Health
The Hon. Bronnie TAYLOR, MLC
The Hon. Brad HAZZARD, MP
Social media
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
About
NSW Health
Our structure
Our organisation chart
Local health districts
Government priorities
Value based healthcare
Climate risk and net zero
Regional health
Diversity Inclusion Belonging
Engaging with NSW Health
History of medical administration in NSW
Ministry of Health
Our structure
Our organisation chart
Our people
Working at the Ministry of Health
Government Information Public Access Act (GIPA)
Contact us
Ministers
The Hon. Brad HAZZARD, MP
Profile
The Hon. Bronnie TAYLOR, MLC
Profile
Home
Mental health
Working with people with mental illness and psychosocial disability
Practical strategies and tips for effective support
Scenario: I am concerned that the person I am supporting is thinking about suicide
Practical strategies and tips for effective support
Currently selected
Building relationships
Understanding diversity
Communicating effectively
Managing behaviours
Accessing services
Developing knowledge
Scenarios for supporting someone with a mental health condition
Scenario: I am concerned that the person I am supporting is thinking about suicide
Content 1
The scenario
You are an exercise physiologist at a hydrotherapy centre that provides services for all members of the community, including people with disability. The person you are working with, Karen, uses a wheelchair. She has cerebral palsy and attends fortnightly hydrotherapy treatment to improve her strength and coordination.
Karen has had four treatment sessions with you, and she has always been enthusiastic and happy to chat with you during the sessions. Karen is assisted by a care worker who brings her to the centre, helps her with changing, and returns at the end of the session to take her home. Karen’s care worker tells you briefly that Karen has seemed down.
When you greet Karen, she doesn’t respond. When you mention that her care worker has said she seems to be down and ask if everything is alright she says, “I don’t want to talk about it.” During the session she is lethargic and isn’t concentrating. When you offer to stop the session, she says, “Fine, I am not worth spending your time with. I may as well be dead anyway.”
Tips for responding in the moment
By making this statement, Karen has provided you with an opportunity to respond.
How you react is important:
Take all thoughts of suicide seriously. Do not dismiss Karen’s thoughts as “attention seeking” or a “cry for help”.
Don’t panic, thoughts about ending one’s life are a common experience.
What you could say:
State what has concerned you about what Karen has said and ask whether she is thinking of ending her life.
Don’t trivialise what Karen has said by saying things like, “It can’t be that bad”, “Lighten up” or “Just put a smile on your face”.
Encourage Karen to talk to you.
If Karen does respond, listen without interrupting or expressing judgement. Then reflect back what Karen has said, summarising in your words, to show you are listening and to check that you have understood.
Let Karen know that she does not have to talk to you about how she is feeling and what she is thinking, but that you are concerned and would like to help.
Ask how long she has been feeling this way.
Ask if she has talked to anyone about how she is feeling.
Ask if there is someone she knows and trusts that she can talk to about this. Encourage her to do so.
What approach you could take:
It is important to take action and support Karen to be assessed by someone who is qualified to do so as soon as possible.
If you are concerned that Karen is at immediate risk of taking her life, call 000.
If not, let Karen know that because you are concerned about her that you think it best you speak to her care worker or someone she knows and trusts so they can help.
If Karen asks you not to tell anyone about her suicidal thoughts or plan, do not agree to keep this secret. Explain that you have a legal obligation to tell someone who can keep her safe.
Do not leave Karen until you have obtained support for her.
Always follow your organisation’s policies and procedures regarding your own and client safety.
Support escalation if needed
: You can call the Mental Health Line 1800 011 511. If you feel it is an emergency situation call 000.
Tips to help prepare for next time
Contact your supervisor and provide the details of what occurred to obtain advice on future contact.
Follow up with Karen’s care worker or nominated contact person prior to her next scheduled therapy session to agree on the best approach for your future involvement.
Look after yourself. Speak with your supervisor and ask for help if the situation has left you with feelings of unease. Many organisations will have an Employee Assistance Program where you can talk to someone confidentially.
Resources
Mental Health First Aid: Suicidal thoughts & behaviours guidelines
This guideline includes outlines how to respond to someone who you think is suicidal.
Type: Guidelines (PDF)
Length: 4 pages
Produced by: Mental Health First Aid
Black Dog Institute: Suicide and self-harm – how you can help
This site provides brief information on steps you can take to assist someone who you are worried may be thinking about suicide including “four steps for suicide prevention”.
Type: Web page
Reading time: 5 mins
Produced by: Black Dog Institute
Everymind: Conversations Matter
This site provides basic tips to help you talk to someone who you suspect is thinking about suicide. Resources include fact sheets, videos and podcasts.
Type: Web page with various resources
Length: Video (15 mins), Fact Sheet (reading time 30 mins), Podcasts (vary between 4 and 16 mins)
Produced by: Everymind (funded by NSW Health)
Content 2
Current as at: Tuesday 15 November 2022
Contact page owner:
Mental Health Branch
Content 3
Get help now
Mental Health Line
1800 011 511 Open 24/7
Emergency
000
Lifeline
13 11 14
Kids Helpline
1800 551 800
Other 24/7 crisis lines
In this section
Scenarios for supporting someone with a mental health condition
Scenario: A story of recovery
Scenario: Working with someone who experiences a coexisting intellectual disability and mental health condition
Scenario: I suspect the person I am supporting is not taking their medication
Scenario: The person I am supporting appears to have seriously harmed themselves - emergency
Scenario: The person I am supporting is missing our appointments
Scenario: The person I am supporting is becoming angry or agitated
Scenario: The person I am supporting has difficulty in advocating for themselves
Scenario: I am worried I might say the wrong thing when supporting a person with a mental health condition
Scenario: I suspect the person I am supporting is harming himself
Content 4