No Suspicious Circumstances? Suicide Prevention Conference

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• Keynote Speakers

PROFESSOR ROGER MULDER

MB ChB PhD (Otago) FRANZCP Head of Department of Psychological Medicine, University
of Otago
The current preoccupation with risk assessment is at variance
with the evidence that such assessments are accurate. Because
uncertainty is impossible to eliminate and an adverse outcome
may carry hazards, clinicians often carry out risk assessments to
minimize their anxiety in a rationally selfish way. This leads to
unintended negative consequences for patients, clinicians and
health services.

DR MERA PENEHIRA

PhD Director of Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of
Education, University of Auckland
What point is the land if there is no one to walk on her? What
point is a mother without children? What point is the battle
when those for whom we fight no longer exist? To be born
Mダori and to be born wahine is to be born to live, to struggle,
to fight and to celebrate. Dr Penehira will discuss the reality of
Maori Women’s lives and the social factors that put these women at particular risk of suicide

Other Speakers

Dr Claire Dale from CPAG will speak about the social and environmental factors impacting children and young people in New Zealand

Katie Milne from Federated Farmers will speak about rural suicide prevention

The famous code words indicating a death is a
suicide suggest there are no suspicious circumstances underpinning self inflicted deaths.
In fact, evidence shows that most suicides are
triggered by a clear group of suspects—
relationship break ups, trouble with the law,
financial stresses, unemployment and others.
This year’s conference looks at the factors that
trigger suicide and how to recognize and manage the risk of suicide.
There is no evidence that suicide is a medical
issue or that it arises from chemical imbalances
or brain disorders. There is plenty of evidence
that current risk assessment processes and
‘treatment plans’ increase suicide risk.
Our experts present the evidence that negative
life events and adverse life experiences put people at risk of suicide. They provide practical
action that can be taken to create the sense of
belonging, connectedness, hope and importance
that protect against suicide.
Participants will leave the conference with an
understanding of the latest research on the
causes of suicide and its effective prevention
and a raft of practical actions that can be taken
to keep family and community members safe.