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Support After Suicide

Active
Duration:

1 July 2017 – 30 June 2027

Funding Amount:

$2,913,940

Locations

All suburbs within NWMPHN

Melbourne Macedon Ranges Yarra Moonee Valley Darebin Maribyrnong Hobsons Bay Wyndham Brimbank Moorabool Melton Hume Merri-bek

Overview

Support After Suicide provides a free postvention and bereavement support service for people in the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) region who have been affected by suicide. It is delivered by Jesuit Social Services.

The service provides individual counselling, support groups and online resources to those bereaved by suicide. The provider also delivers educational sessions to the health and community services workforce, other professionals and community members.

Support After Suicide was established to assist people to find their way through and reduce the impact of complex grief and trauma. Its team has many years’ experience and specialist expertise in bereavement, trauma and suicide.

Outcomes

Since 2017, Support After Suicide has provided counselling, peer support and practical assistance to hundreds of people across the NWMPHN region bereaved by suicide.

By July 2026 Jesuit Social Services had provided counselling for 783 people bereaved by suicide. It had also developed a range of peer-support groups in the NWMPHN region to respond to the needs of the people engaged in the program. These include the ‘Loss of an Only Child’ and ‘Inner North’ peer groups.

Key outcomes of these activities include:

  • People affected by suicide receive specialist support to help them manage grief, build coping strategies and navigate the impacts of loss.
  • A sense of community and understanding for those grieving a suicide loss, fostering emotional support and reducing feelings of isolation.
  • Collaboration with organisations such as Switchboard Victoria to address the unique experiences of suicide bereavement within the LGBTIQ+ community.
  • Increased community awareness and understanding of suicide bereavement, reducing stigma, and fostering empathy for those affected by suicide loss.
  • Professionals are supported to respond with greater confidence and compassion to those bereaved by suicide, through training and education.
  • Individuals, families, friends and community groups are supported to process grief and trauma after a suicide loss, fostering resilience and connection during recovery.

Page updated 29 September 2026.

Services involved