In 2007-2008, Crisis Support Services received over 138,000 calls from our ten different care lines including Mensline Australia, SuicideLine (VIC) (formerly known as the Victorian Suicide Helpline), beyondblue information line and the national Suicide Call Back Service.
Mensline Australia
More than 56,000 of the calls to Crisis Support Services were to the unique Mensline Australia service. Mensline Australia is the only 24/7 professional telephone counselling service specifically for men, and the only service of its kind worldwide specialising in family and relationship issues. Since Mensline Australia's inception in 2001, we have received more than a half a million calls from right around Australia. In 2007/2008 the main issue for nearly 60 per cent of callers was a relationship with their partner or ex-partner. Other key main issues included legal custody and access issues, mental and emotional wellbeing, and parenting concerns. The most common age bracket for Mensline Australia callers was 35-44 (37 per cent of callers), with 84 per cent of callers between the ages of 25 and 54 years.
SuicideLine (VIC)
SuicideLine (VIC) is Australia's only professionally staffed 24/7 helpline dedicated to assisting callers with suicide related concerns. Receiving over 28,000 calls last year, SuicideLine (VIC) provided professional support to those at risk of suicide, concerned family or friends as well as those bereaved by suicide.
SuicideLine (VIC) works with some of Victoria's most at risk individuals, with more than 27 per cent of callers identified as being at medium or high risk of suicide (or even emergency risk of harm) when they contacted the service. In 2007/2008 the percentage of calls received by those under 24 years of age as well as those between the ages of 35-44 increased, a welcome sign that these at risk groups are reaching out of the support they so desperately need.
As SuicideLine (VIC) receives more than 10 calls per week where emergency intervention is needed to keep the caller safe, Crisis Support Services continues to champion the need for a nation-wide, professional, 24/7 suicide prevention telephone service.
Suicide Call Back Service
An innovative and vital new service, the Suicide Call Back Service has dramatically reduced the suicide risk of more than 250 of Australia's most isolated and at-risk individuals. A national service that is both professional and free of charge, the Suicide Call Back Service Supports people at risk of suicide, carers of people at risk as well as people bereaved by suicide.
Recent evaluations have highlighted the significant benefits of the service, ranging from an 18 per cent reduction in the level of suicide risk within people who completed just four calls and, following the sixth call, an 83 per cent reduction in the number of people identified as at medium or high risk of suicide.