Suicide bereavement support needs of community members in Northern Tasmania

The Centre for Rural Health was commissioned by Lifeline Tasmania to research the support service needs of people bereaved by suicide living in Northern Tasmania, an area identified by Lifeline as having a postvention service gap. The World Health Organisation (2012) identifies support for people bereaved by suicide as an important strategy for suicide prevention. Multiple national and state-based government policies also identify suicide postvention as an area of focus, however there are gaps in understanding of the support needs of people bereaved by suicide in regional northern Tasmania.

The project entailed a desktop literature review followed by data collection in the form of in-person (or online) interviews with community members bereaved by suicide and focus groups conducted with service providers with experience in offering suicide bereavement support. The project ran during the easing of COVID19 lockdowns (and was delayed) and data collection was interrupted by the Christmas break.