APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit Practice Guides
To: Freedom of Information Officer
Australian Public Service Commission
This is a formal application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) for access to documents held by the Australian Public Service Commission.
I seek copies of all documents that constitute the “practice guides” produced, endorsed, or referenced by the APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit, as mentioned on the APS website at https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/dive... . Specifically, this request includes:
• All current and historical versions of these practice guides.
• Any supporting materials, explanatory notes, implementation instructions, or internal presentations used in developing or delivering these guides.
• Documents outlining the guides’ intended audience, objectives, and scope, including accompanying circulars, briefings, or related correspondence concerning their dissemination within APS agencies.
• Documents showing any revisions, withdrawals, or updates to these guides since January 2020, including material explaining the reasons for such changes.
Due to the significant public interest in transparency and best practice for mental health and suicide prevention in the public service, I request that any processing charges ordinarily applicable to this request be waived. Disclosure of these documents will promote informed public discussion and accountability, and is likely to benefit a substantial section of the public.
Yours faithfully,
Ace Chapman
OFFICIAL
Dear Ace Chapman
Our reference: LEX 1620
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request made under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982.
The timeframe for responding to your request is 30 days from the date of
receipt. Therefore, the due date for this request is 13 October 2025.
This timeframe may be extended in certain circumstances. You will be
notified if these circumstances arise and the timeframe is extended.
Kind regards,
FOI Officer
Legal Services
[1]Title: "" - Description: ""Australian Public Service Commission
[2][IMG][3][IMG][4][IMG]w: [5]www.apsc.gov.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Ace Chapman <[FOI #13642 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 11 September 2025 7:46 PM
To: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - APS Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention Unit Practice Guides
To: Freedom of Information Officer
Australian Public Service Commission
This is a formal application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(Cth) for access to documents held by the Australian Public Service
Commission.
I seek copies of all documents that constitute the “practice guides”
produced, endorsed, or referenced by the APS Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention Unit, as mentioned on the APS website at
[6]https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/dive...
. Specifically, this request includes:
• All current and historical versions of these
practice guides.
• Any supporting materials, explanatory notes,
implementation instructions, or internal presentations used in developing
or delivering these guides.
• Documents outlining the guides’ intended audience,
objectives, and scope, including accompanying circulars, briefings, or
related correspondence concerning their dissemination within APS agencies.
• Documents showing any revisions, withdrawals, or
updates to these guides since January 2020, including material explaining
the reasons for such changes.
Due to the significant public interest in transparency and best practice
for mental health and suicide prevention in the public service, I request
that any processing charges ordinarily applicable to this request be
waived. Disclosure of these documents will promote informed public
discussion and accountability, and is likely to benefit a substantial
section of the public.
Yours faithfully,
Ace Chapman
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13642 email]
Is [7][APSC request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Australian Public Service Commission? If so, please contact us
using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
2. https://www.linkedin.com/company/austral...
3. https://www.instagram.com/auspublicservi...
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/apsc/
5. http://www.apsc.gov.au/
6. https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/dive...
7. mailto:[APSC request email]
OFFICIAL
Good morning Ace Chapman
Please find attached consultation notice for your attention.
Please note the statutory timeframe to respond to your request is paused
while we consult with you. We will advise you of the new due date for your
request when the consultation period is finished.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
Legal Services
[1]Title: "" - Description: ""Australian Public Service Commission
[2][IMG][3][IMG][4][IMG]w: [5]www.apsc.gov.au
From: FOI <[6][email address]>
Sent: Monday, 15 September 2025 3:45 PM
To: [7][FOI #13642 email]
Cc: FOI <[8][email address]>
Subject: Acknowledgment | FOI | APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Unit Practice Guides | LEX 1620 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
Dear Ace Chapman
Our reference: LEX 1620
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request made under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982.
The timeframe for responding to your request is 30 days from the date of
receipt. Therefore, the due date for this request is 13 October 2025.
This timeframe may be extended in certain circumstances. You will be
notified if these circumstances arise and the timeframe is extended.
Kind regards,
FOI Officer
Legal Services
[9]Title: "" - Description: ""Australian Public Service Commission
[10][IMG][11][IMG][12][IMG]w: [13]www.apsc.gov.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Ace Chapman <[14][FOI #13642 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 11 September 2025 7:46 PM
To: FOI <[15][email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - APS Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention Unit Practice Guides
To: Freedom of Information Officer
Australian Public Service Commission
This is a formal application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(Cth) for access to documents held by the Australian Public Service
Commission.
I seek copies of all documents that constitute the “practice guides”
produced, endorsed, or referenced by the APS Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention Unit, as mentioned on the APS website at
[16]https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/dive...
. Specifically, this request includes:
• All current and historical versions of these
practice guides.
• Any supporting materials, explanatory notes,
implementation instructions, or internal presentations used in developing
or delivering these guides.
• Documents outlining the guides’ intended audience,
objectives, and scope, including accompanying circulars, briefings, or
related correspondence concerning their dissemination within APS agencies.
• Documents showing any revisions, withdrawals, or
updates to these guides since January 2020, including material explaining
the reasons for such changes.
Due to the significant public interest in transparency and best practice
for mental health and suicide prevention in the public service, I request
that any processing charges ordinarily applicable to this request be
waived. Disclosure of these documents will promote informed public
discussion and accountability, and is likely to benefit a substantial
section of the public.
Yours faithfully,
Ace Chapman
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[17][FOI #13642 email]
Is [18][APSC request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Australian Public Service Commission? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[19]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[20]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
2. https://www.linkedin.com/company/austral...
3. https://www.instagram.com/auspublicservi...
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/apsc/
5. http://www.apsc.gov.au/
6. mailto:[email address]
7. mailto:[FOI #13642 email]
8. mailto:[email address]
10. https://www.linkedin.com/company/austral...
11. https://www.instagram.com/auspublicservi...
12. https://www.linkedin.com/company/apsc/
13. http://www.apsc.gov.au/
14. mailto:[FOI #13642 email]
15. mailto:[email address]
16. https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/dive...
17. mailto:[FOI #13642 email]
18. mailto:[APSC request email]
19. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
20. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear FOI Decision Maker,
I refer to your consultation notice dated 29 September 2025 in relation to my FOI request (LEX 1620).
In order to narrow the scope and assist with processing, I am amending my request so that it is limited to the current live versions only of the “practice guides” produced, endorsed or referenced by the APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit, as listed on the APSC website.
This revised request expressly excludes all earlier or historical versions, drafts, working papers, superseded documents, change logs, emails and attachments.
Please treat this correspondence as a formal variation of my request under section 24AB(6) of the FOI Act.
Yours sincerely,
Ace Chapman
OFFICIAL
Dear Ace Chapman
Thank you for your email.
We will continue to process your request with your revised scope in mind.
The revised due date for a decision is 16 October 2025.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
Legal Services
[1]Title: "" - Description: ""Australian Public Service Commission
[2][IMG][3][IMG][4][IMG]w: [5]www.apsc.gov.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Ace Chapman <[6][FOI #13642 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 2 October 2025 3:30 AM
To: FOI <[7][email address]>
Subject: Re: FOI | Request consultation notice | APS Mental Health and
Suicide Prevention Unit Practice Guides | LEX 1620 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Dear FOI Decision Maker,
I refer to your consultation notice dated 29 September 2025 in relation to
my FOI request (LEX 1620).
In order to narrow the scope and assist with processing, I am amending my
request so that it is limited to the current live versions only of the
“practice guides” produced, endorsed or referenced by the APS Mental
Health and Suicide Prevention Unit, as listed on the APSC website.
This revised request expressly excludes all earlier or historical
versions, drafts, working papers, superseded documents, change logs,
emails and attachments.
Please treat this correspondence as a formal variation of my request under
section 24AB(6) of the FOI Act.
Yours sincerely,
Ace Chapman
-----Original Message-----
OFFICIAL
Good morning Ace Chapman
Please find attached consultation notice for your attention.
Please note the statutory timeframe to respond to your request is paused
while we consult with you. We will advise you of the new due date for your
request when the consultation period is finished.
Kind regards
FOI Officer
Legal Services
[1]Title: "" - Description: ""Australian Public Service Commission
[2][IMG][3][IMG][4][IMG]w: [5][8]www.apsc.gov.au
From: FOI <[6][email address]>
Sent: Monday, 15 September 2025 3:45 PM
To: [7][FOI #13642 email]
Cc: FOI <[8][email address]>
Subject: Acknowledgment | FOI | APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Unit Practice Guides | LEX 1620 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
Dear Ace Chapman
Our reference: LEX 1620
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request made under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982.
The timeframe for responding to your request is 30 days from the date of
receipt. Therefore, the due date for this request is 13 October 2025.
This timeframe may be extended in certain circumstances. You will be
notified if these circumstances arise and the timeframe is extended.
Kind regards,
FOI Officer
Legal Services
[9]Title: "" - Description: ""Australian Public Service Commission
[10][IMG][11][IMG][12][IMG]w: [13][9]www.apsc.gov.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[10][FOI #13642 email]
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[11]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
______________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the
message from your computer system.
______________________________________________________________________
References
Visible links
2. https://www.linkedin.com/company/austral...
3. https://www.instagram.com/auspublicservi...
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/apsc/
5. http://www.apsc.gov.au/
6. mailto:[FOI #13642 email]
7. mailto:[email address]
8. http://www.apsc.gov.au/
9. http://www.apsc.gov.au/
10. mailto:[FOI #13642 email]
11. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...