People from multicultural backgrounds may be at greater risk of experiencing mental health difficulties and suicide and face barriers to accessing services and supports.
Those who do not speak English, including the most recently arrived, refugees and asylum seekers may be most vulnerable.
Multicultural policy and action plan
Our story, our future is the Queensland Government’s multicultural policy promoting an inclusive, harmonious and united community for Queensland. The policy focuses Queensland Government action on three priorities for culturally diverse communities and Queensland as a whole:
- achieving culturally responsive government
- supporting inclusive, harmonious and united communities
- improving economic opportunities.
The policy is being implemented through a three year Queensland Multicultural Action Plan. The Commission is responsible for one action under priority area 1:
Develop tailored suicide prevention training and materials to support people from culturally diverse communities, particularly those from refugee backgrounds.
Review of existing resources
In 2016, we engaged Health Outcomes International to review existing suicide prevention resources for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The review highlighted:
- stigma and taboo surrounding mental illness and suicide
- lack of specific suicide prevention training or resources for culturally diverse communities and gaps in culturally appropriate services and resources
- barriers to people from culturally diverse backgrounds in accessing mainstream mental health or suicide prevention services and resources
- language barriers to accessing information and the need to improve the translation of resources.
We are considering the review’s findings and its relevance for government agencies and non-government stakeholders.
