Coroner: More suicide help needed

Young people formerly in Child, Youth and Family (CYF) or mental health authorities' care should have access to funding and continued mentoring to help cut suicide rates, says coroner Ian Smith.

His recommendations follow the death of 22-year-old Masterton woman Teremoana Jacobs, who died in 2007 from pneumonia following a suicide attempt, the Dominion Post reported.

"Teremoana's life story should be told in some detail so that at least history can show what this young woman had to endure that may have led to her untimely death," Mr Smith said.

She had been under Social Development Ministry guardianship for more than 16 years.

She was shunted between six different households while under CYF guardianship and made a number of suicide attempts before 2007.

"It is clear that at some point Teremoana decided she no longer wished to have CYF involved in her life and she disengaged from her social worker. She moved several times and her social worker was unable to trace her," Mr Smith said.

More support was needed for those formerly in state guardianship, he said.

A fund could be made available to those in need and he also suggested a mentoring programme.

Nearly 500 people took their own lives during 2007 but suicide figures were unavailable for current or former CYF wards.

A spokesman for duty minister Nick Smith said the Government knew the system needed improving.

"The loss of any young life is one too many, but there is support available. We are doing more to help young people deal with what is obviously a very traumatic time."

- NZPA