While noting the pandemic would be catastrophic for mental health,Mr Brogden said stability in the suicide rate showed funding and services were catching people dealing with"wartime"stresses.
"Governments,to their enormous credit,state and federal,came to the party really quickly to joints like Lifeline because they knew that calls would go through the roof. And our calls have gone through the roof. But the hope here is that we're getting to people,we're getting the services to people so that they aren’t getting to the point of suicide."
He expects the mental health crisis to worsen in the long-term because of economic instability and expects more calls to Lifeline when JobKeeper tapers off from September.
Before COVID-19,Lifeline was receiving about 2500 calls a day nationally. That peaked on Good Friday with 3197 calls,the most calls Lifeline has ever received in a day. There are now about 3000 calls a day,about one-third of which come from Victoria.
Modelling from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre in Maypredicted there could be a 25 per cent surge in the number of suicides during the pandemic.
A viral Facebook post earlier this month falsely claimed suicide rates were up 200 per cent during the current lockdown.
Judge Cain said the Coroners Office would release monthly reports on suicide trends to support safe and open conversations about suicide and suicide prevention.
"There is clearly growing awareness and community concern regarding mental health and suicide – and everyone should have access to the facts,"Judge Cain said.
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All Victorian deaths that are suspected to be from non-natural causes are referred to the Coroners Court.
The court reviews reported deaths daily and adds suspected suicides to the Victorian Suicide Register,before investigating their circumstances more fully.
While the suicide figures reported on Thursday have not all been subject to inquests,the Coroners Court said changes to the register after an inquest are typically minor and those initial assessments are correct more than 95 per cent of the time.
Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said it was important to deal with facts and thanked the coroner for releasing the monthly data.
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"The really important thing is that we need to be absolutely vigilant about this,to keep the conversation going and to work together to stop suicides. That’s not just governments,that's all of us,"Ms Harman said.
Beyond Blue this month released figures showing two out of three calls to its coronavirus mental wellbeing support service nationally were coming from Victoria,up from 43 per cent in June.
Headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan said 95 per cent of consultations with young people in Victoria were now done online,compared to just 10 per cent prior to the pandemic.
"Although most young people will spontaneously recover from some of the mental health impacts that COVID has produced for many,the impacts have the potential to cause long-lasting distress,"Mr Trethowan said.
Professor Patrick McGorry,executive director of youth health service Orygen,told Victoria's public accounts and estimates committee on Thursday that he expected the suicide rate would rise if demand for face-to-face services wasn’t addressed.
"We can expect somewhere between a 25 and 50 per cent increase in suicide risk,especially in young people,particularly if we don't actually invest in services,"Professor McGorry said.
"There's indications that that surge is really happening now.
"We already know that there's a[a rise in] self-harm presenting to emergency departments ... and some suicide clusters."
If you or anyone you know needs support callLifeline on 131 114,or Beyond Blue'scoronavirus mental wellbeing support service on 1800 512 348.
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