Prof Graham Martin OAM FRANZCP, DPMProfessor & Director, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Sarah Swannell Bpsych(Hons) GradCertSci(Stats)Senior Research Technician

Suicide Prevention through Mental Health Promotion12th European Symposium on Suicide & Suicidal Behaviour

Thistle Hotel Glasgow, Scotland 27th – 30th August 2008

Outline•Introduce ADFC•Youth suicide in Australia•CADETLiFe theory•Describe program•Discuss challenges

39%

Australian Defence Force Cadetswww.cadetnet.gov.au

24,450 Cadets aged 12-20 in 461 units Volunteer and community based Defence customs, traditions and values

- Leadership, communication, team building, confidence, pride, self-discipline

Technical skills Regular once a week parades plus

bivouacs, camps, promotion weekends Get a taste of Defence Force

Source: ABS (2007). Suicides 2005 (cat. no. 3309.0). http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/952361A2A29BDBB4CA25729D001C09CF/$File/33090_2005.pdf

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 20060

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

males females

Australian Suicide Rates per 100,000 per year, 15-19 years, 1995-2005

RISK FACTORS

PROTECTIVE FACTORS

Resilience

Self esteem

School Achievement

Connectedness

Childhood and family adversity

Stress

Psychopathology

SES Disadvantage

•Borowsky IW, Ireland M, Resnick MD. 2001. Adolescent suicide attempts: risks and protectors. Pediatrics 107(3): 485−93. •Blum RW, Halcon L, Beuhring T, et al. 2003. Adolescent health in the Caribbean: risk and protective factors. American Journal of Public Health 93(3): 456−60. •Resnick MD, Bearman PS, Blum WR, et al. 1997. Protecting adolescents from harm: findings from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health. Journal of the American Medical Association 278(10): 823−32. •Gutierrez, P. M., Osman, A., Kopper, B. A., & Barrios, F. X. (2000). Why young people do not kill themselves: The Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29, 177–187.•Fergusson DM, Beautrais AL, Horwood LJ. 2003. Vulnerability and resiliency to suicidal behaviours in young people. Psychological Medicine 33: 61−73.

Resilience

Social Competence

Problem Solving Skills

AutonomySense of

Purpose and Future

Benard, B. (2004). Resiliency: What we have learned. San Francisco: WestEd.Benard, B. (1991). Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in the Family, School, and Community. Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development.

CADETLiFe Goals

Enhance Protective Factors

Resilience

Connectedness

Improve Pathwa

ys to Care

Recognising Mental

Health Problems

Knowing where to go and

how to ask for help

National, state and

local resources

Universal Mental Health Promotion

CADETLiFe Workshops

13 ‘scenarios’ raise issues pertaining to

resilience, connectedness and pathways to care In groups of 8-12, facilitated by 2 senior

cadets/staff members, cadets watch a scenario,

discuss the issues, and complete an activity Ideal dosage: 13 scenarios in 12 months

- one per month, 2 every second month, several on a camp etc

Challenges – physical size of Australia

Challenges

Diversity and rivalry across services Diversity across units, states/territories Hierarchical military system Volunteer organisation Central administration problems Evaluation

We struggle on!