Neami is a leading provider of compassionate, person-led and localised Aftercare services. This presentation explores the implementation of Aftercare services across five national sites, highlighting both policy-level insights and workforce learnings. Aftercare is a psychosocial, person-led and person-centred model that provides compassionate, non-judgmental, and holistic support to individuals experiencing suicidal distress and crisis. It addresses the underlying stressors that may lead someone to a point of crisis, focusing on what matters most to the individual: connection, safety, and belonging.
Our work contributes to the ongoing reform efforts under the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, particularly in the priority area of aftercare and postvention. By sharing learnings from place-based adaptations, this presentation aims to inform continued development of scalable, inclusive, and sustainable aftercare solutions that align with the Agreement’s commitment to reducing suicide and suicidal distress through coordinated, whole-of-government approaches.
Each site has been tailored to local needs through co-design with people with lived experience, communities, local stakeholders, governance committees, and funding bodies. In South Western Sydney, co-design was supported by consultancy agency Impact Co, enabling deep exploration of local contexts and needs. Culturally responsive approaches have been prioritised across all sites, with a focus on First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities.
We will present feedback from participants and partners, data trends, and emerging themes, alongside challenges such as:
A particular focus will be on the integration and sustainability of lived experience roles within Aftercare services, and the complexities of embedding these roles meaningfully within hospital and health service environments.
This presentation aligns with the SPA 2026 theme “United Voices, Brighter Futures” by demonstrating how collaborative design processes, grounded in lived experience and supported by strong governance can illuminate pathways for inclusive, locally responsive, and hopeful Aftercare. It offers both a policy lens for bureaucratic and system-level reform, and practical insights for workforce development and service integration.