Co-Development of an Autism Suicide Prevention Resource Hub for Australian Mental Health Practitioners
Tracks
Monarch - In Person Only
| Tuesday, August 12, 2025 |
| 1:55 PM - 2:15 PM |
| Monarch Room |
Overview
Dr Claire Brown - Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University
Speaker
Dr Claire Brown
Post-doctoral Research Fellow
Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University
Co-Development of an Autism Suicide Prevention Resource Hub for Australian Mental Health Practitioners.
Presentation Overview
Three Key Learnings:
1. Autistic people benefit from tailored suicide prevention efforts.
2. Lived experience led education is essential for upskilling mental health professionals.
3. Neuro-affirming care approaches build psychological safety for autistic clients.
Background: Autistic people have a three to five-fold elevated risk of death by suicide compared to the general population. Yet, mental health professionals (MHPs) report feeling under-equipped and lacking in confidence to effectively identify and support autistic people. Here, we outline the co-development of a new online resource hub aimed at upskilling MHPs to better support autistic people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviour (STB). Our research was guided by lived experience and implementation science frameworks.
Method: Participants were 33 autistic adults (Mage=41.72, SD=11.49) with lived experience of STB (16 women, 14 men, 3 nonbinary) who were interviewed about their experiences seeking and receiving mental health support (ethics #HEC20235; #HEC24134) and working group members (autistic people with lived experience of STB, n=30; MHPs, n=30). Interviews were thematically coded using reflexive thematic analysis. Themes informed a new framework (“Support Me, Understand Me, Communicate with Me, Help Me Understand Myself”) and development of content for the resource hub. PRISM (Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model) planning framework was used to iteratively refine content.
Results: Qualitative interviews highlighted substantial barriers in a) accessing services; b) finding autism-informed services; and c) finding a “good fit” with clinicians and therapies. Priority outcomes were a) representation of autistic lived experience in education and training materials; and b) clinical usability of validated tools for autism suicide screening, assessment, and intervention.
Discussion: Results from qualitative interviews and working group discussions formed the basis of a new, online “Autism Suicide Prevention Resource Hub”, designed to train professionals to effectively screen, assess and support autistic people experiencing suicidality. Future research will involve pilot testing the resource hub with MHPs to prospectively evaluate materials against RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) implementation criteria. Ongoing data collection from users will enable long-term evaluation of the hub.
1. Autistic people benefit from tailored suicide prevention efforts.
2. Lived experience led education is essential for upskilling mental health professionals.
3. Neuro-affirming care approaches build psychological safety for autistic clients.
Background: Autistic people have a three to five-fold elevated risk of death by suicide compared to the general population. Yet, mental health professionals (MHPs) report feeling under-equipped and lacking in confidence to effectively identify and support autistic people. Here, we outline the co-development of a new online resource hub aimed at upskilling MHPs to better support autistic people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviour (STB). Our research was guided by lived experience and implementation science frameworks.
Method: Participants were 33 autistic adults (Mage=41.72, SD=11.49) with lived experience of STB (16 women, 14 men, 3 nonbinary) who were interviewed about their experiences seeking and receiving mental health support (ethics #HEC20235; #HEC24134) and working group members (autistic people with lived experience of STB, n=30; MHPs, n=30). Interviews were thematically coded using reflexive thematic analysis. Themes informed a new framework (“Support Me, Understand Me, Communicate with Me, Help Me Understand Myself”) and development of content for the resource hub. PRISM (Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model) planning framework was used to iteratively refine content.
Results: Qualitative interviews highlighted substantial barriers in a) accessing services; b) finding autism-informed services; and c) finding a “good fit” with clinicians and therapies. Priority outcomes were a) representation of autistic lived experience in education and training materials; and b) clinical usability of validated tools for autism suicide screening, assessment, and intervention.
Discussion: Results from qualitative interviews and working group discussions formed the basis of a new, online “Autism Suicide Prevention Resource Hub”, designed to train professionals to effectively screen, assess and support autistic people experiencing suicidality. Future research will involve pilot testing the resource hub with MHPs to prospectively evaluate materials against RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) implementation criteria. Ongoing data collection from users will enable long-term evaluation of the hub.
Biography
Dr Claire Brown is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre. Her research is supported by Suicide Prevention Australia, and focuses on autistic mental health, suicide prevention, and barriers to care for autistic people. As a neurodivergent person, Claire centres participatory and co-produced research practices in her research undertakings.
