Living Beyond Suicide: The survivor story

The Living Beyond Suicide (LBS) program is a postvention service which offers support to families bereaved by suicide in South Australia. Nine bereaved individuals/families who had received support from Family Support Volunteers (FSVs) were contacted and interviewed by a staff member with Anglicare SA during late 2008 and early 2009, four months following the suicide of a family member. The predominant response from bereaved families/individuals towards the LBS program conducted by Anglicare SA was a positive one. There was a sense that the FSVs filled a gap in service provision to families seeking to cope with the loss of a loved one through suicide. An area for further development is in the provision of more support groups for survivors.