Communities Helping Communities – a Youth Suicide Prevention, Community Development Process Used With Small Rural Communities in the Hume Region and Greater Murray Health Area

This presentation detailed the community development process used by the North East Child & Adolescent Mental Health program & Greater Murray Youth Suicide Prevention Project in 1998. Participants from 8 small, & in some cases isolated, communities shared & developed information about youth suicide prevention. The process aimed to support suicide prevention activities already in place, to strengthen commuity resilience, & extend collaborative activities. The role of paid professionals as facilitators & listeners in supporting strategies in these communities throughout the process was discussed.