The National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program (NSP-LSP) funds organisations to deliver national suicide prevention activities. Over $100 million is allocated to the program from 2017 to 2022, and 18 national projects are currently funded.

The Australian Government’s response to the Review of Mental Health Programs and Services, outlined reforms to its mental health and suicide prevention funding and program delivery, including a commitment to national leadership and support for whole of population level suicide prevention activity.

There are currently 18 organisations under the NSP-LSP, which provide one or more of the following national suicide prevention services:

1. National leadership role in suicide prevention
2. National leadership in suicide prevention research
3. Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention
4. National media and communications strategies
5. National support services for individuals at risk of suicide

AHA role

Following AHA’s completion of the evaluation of the National Suicide Prevention Program, the Department engaged AHA to develop the activity reporting requirements (minimum data set) and facilitate ongoing monthly reporting by projects.  This data assists with the ongoing evaluation and monitoring of the program.

AHA was initially appointed in 2018, and subsequently extended until 2021. AHA’s ongoing role is to manage the collection, analysis and reporting of the MDS, including providing guidance and support for projects to meet their MDS reporting obligations.

AHA’s initial role included:

• Conduct stakeholder consultation sessions to determine how reporting can best capture project activities
• Develop a minimum data set (MDS) in collaboration with the Department and its advisors
• Develop and administered an online portal for projects to submit monthly MDS activity reporting
• Develop training material and provided online seminars to support projects to use the online portal
• Develop an evaluation framework for the NSPL&SP.

AHA’s focus in developing the MDS, was to:

• Build on the previous National Suicide Prevention Program MDS, which was used up to the end of 2017
• Reflect the work and and activities undertaken by NSPL&SP projects under the funding streams
• Tie in with other related data collections, in particular the Primary Mental Health Care MDS reported by organisations undertaking Primary Health Network commissioned mental health and suicide prevention services funded by the Australian Government.

Project reporting against the MDS commenced in April 2018 and has been extended till June 2021.  AHA’s ongoing role includes:

• Administering and maintaining the online portal
• Managing the monthly data collection process and assisting projects as required
• Providing analysis and reports to the Department.