Award for Sydney’s JewishCare
Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) has awarded Sydney’s JewishCare for its Jewish Suicide Prevention strategy at the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Melbourne.
Claire Gil-Munoz and Isabelle Shapiro accepting the award
Suicide Prevention Australia is the national peak body for those working in suicide prevention, engaging with Member organisations, governments, businesses, researchers, practitioners and those with lived experience, seeking to reduce the impact of suicide on the community.
Claire Gil-Munoz, Manager of JewishCare’s Mental Health and Wellbeing program and Isabelle Shapiro Chairperson of Jewish Suicide Prevention Strategy accepted the award which relates to the exceptional impact of the Jewish Suicide Prevention Strategy. The Strategy which was launched in 2017 is a unique collaboration of 20 organisations and follows the Black Dog LifeSpan approach. It presents a community-wide approach to reducing suicide in the Jewish community.
Michael Cook, Senior Implementation Manager, LifeSpan said “It’s also been exciting to see how suicide prevention has been approached in a way that is deeply set within the cultural context of the community you seek to help. Really ground-breaking stuff”.
L – R Claire Gil-Munoz, Renata Ieremias (Manager of Child Family Services, Sophia Chilver, Jodi Tocatly
Since its inception, the Strategy, led by JewishCare has delivered over 20 training courses which have reached over 300 people. The courses have included: Mental Health First Aid, Suicide Prevention training, MindFrame media training, Older Persons Mental Health First Aid and, the typically hard to engage males in Males Only Suicide Prevention training. Other accomplishments include: a monthly support group for people impacted by suicide, ongoing engagement with numerous schools, synagogues, Rabbis and other community groups and local councils.
The JSPS has also published Suicide and Self Harm policy, guidelines on suicide from a Rabbinical prospective, developed guidelines around media reporting. It has also developed an aftercare prevention program in conjunction with public and private mental health facilities. The JSPS is in the process of developing an App that will be used by people at risk of ending their life. JSPS is funded by Wolper Jewish Hospital Foundation, JCA’s Haberman, Kulawicz and Wolanski Fund and JCA’s 10×10 and JewishCare.
Nieves Murray Chief Executive OfficerSuicide Prevention Australia summed up the value of the JSPS saying “ the Jewish Suicide Prevention Strategy is an exceptional demonstration of leadership, collaboration and innovation setting a powerful example for other community organisations. Congratulations! “
