'austraLasia' #90

WORLD'S FIRST ONLINE YOUTH SUICIDE SERVICE LAUNCHED

J. Fox

MELBOURNE: 26th July -- The world's first online youth suicide service

REACH OUT! was launched recently. REACH OUT! is an internet-based

service that takes on a community approach to address Australia's high

rate of youth suicide. By providing distinct areas for three target

groups - young people (Chill Out!), their families and friends (Family

and Friends) and the professionals who deal with them (Professional

Forum) the REACH OUT! service provides information, assistance and

referrals.

Jack Heath, executive director of REACH OUT! said: "With somewhere

between 25,000 and 45,000 suicide attempts each year by young

Australians aged 15-24, we simply must find new and better ways

ofreaching young people in need". Another key feature, Mr. Heath

explained, is the Who Care? map database which enables people around

Australia to type in their address and be shown relevant services in

their local area. Up to 3 million people in Australia have access to

the internet, many of them young people.

"Anonymity is a huge advantage of the REACH OUT! service. Young people

are often reluctant to seek out help. REACH OUT! offers an anonymous,

stigma-free way to locate that help. It also offers to family and

friends who are concerned about a young person a place to go and find

out information about risk factors and about how to respond", Mr. Heath

said.

Built and designed by Social Change Online and Tech Talk Australia,

REACH OUT! has been partly funded by the Commonwealth Department of

Health and Family Services and has also received backing from the

corporate and wider community.

REACH OUT! is located at http://www.reachout.asn.au