Reframing Suicide Prevention Through Local Legal Instruments: A Field-Based Study of Mental Health Governance in Gunungkidul
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64268/jilhs.v1i2.63Keywords:
Gunungkidul Case Study, Local Legal Instruments, Mental Health Governance, Socio-Legal Approach, Suicide Prevention PolicyAbstract
Background: Suicide has remained a recurring concern in Gunungkidul, revealing how gaps in mental health literacy and support continue to shape community vulnerability. Although the local government has issued regulations to strengthen preventive efforts, many practical barriers still limit their effectiveness.
Aims: This study seeks to understand how these local legal instruments function in the daily reality of suicide prevention and whether the revised policy framework contributes to a more responsive form of mental health governance.
Methods: The research was conducted using a field-based socio-legal approach to capture how regulations work beyond their written form. Interviews with health workers, community figures, and religious leaders were combined with on-site observations and administrative records. These primary data were supported by statutory documents and scholarly references to frame the wider regulatory context. All information was examined through thematic analysis, while long-term trends in suicide cases were described using basic descriptive statistics.
Result: Findings indicate that the regulation has encouraged greater institutional attention to mental health, but its practical impact remains limited. Suicide cases have not shown a consistent decline, partly due to a shortage of mental health professionals, uneven coordination across sectors, and the persistence of social stigma. The transition to the Community Mental Health Team expanded the mandate of prevention work, yet it also brought new gaps in administration and implementation.
Conclusion: While local regulations provide a necessary foundation for suicide prevention, meaningful progress depends on stronger collaboration, adequate staffing, and deeper community involvement. Policies must be able to engage with social realities if they are to address the needs of those most at risk.
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