UniSC Thompson Institute’s Youth Mental Health program has received funding from the QLD Mental Health Commission for piloting the ESARY protocol in schools and community organisations for a period of 2 years commencing October 2024. 

The ESARY protocol was developed as part of the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study.

To address the state’s youth suicide rate, we have developed the ESARY protocol: a ground-breaking approach in suicide prevention efforts. 

By focusing on early identification of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, the protocol offers an easy to implement and unique framework that prioritises proactive intervention and support for at-risk youth.

Through its pioneering emphasis on timely detection and tailored responses, the ESARY protocol stands out as a novel initiative that holds potential to make a significant impact in safeguarding the mental health and wellbeing of youth facing suicidal ideation and behaviour into the future.

We have developed a screener that responds in real time to suicidality expressed by youth (12+ years), to assist clinicians/guidance officers/counsellors determine the required support, without delay.

This project will evaluate the ‘Early Suicide Awareness and Response in Youth’ (co-designed) screener in multiple settings to determine its utility for widespread use.   

The protocol identifies suicidal thoughts and behaviours (not formal suicide risk) that may not otherwise be detected through mental healthcare.

The protocol has multiple levels of action, determined by respondents’ suicidality data.

We combined the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS, 5-items) and the Youth Risk Behaviours Survey (YRBS, 4 items) to determine suicide risk.