La Trobe University researcher Karien Hill said it was about breaking down the bystander effect - thinking or hoping someone else would deal with it - with confidence and competence to try helping someone in distress.

Dr Hill said up to 90 per cent of Australians who die by suicide communicate their struggles to family and friends but only 20 to 30 per cent of people at risk sought professional. This means community was still the "middle man" in best noticing warning signs and guiding to professional help.

"We are not wanting the community to become like professionals in offering help. It can just be in asking 'can I take you to a GP or call one for you' - many at-risk people at the time are often out of energy," Dr Hill said.

"My research is to overcome the bystander effect with the Bystander Intervention Model. If you go through the model, people are much more likely to action help with confidence and intent."

The BIM is based on five steps: noticing suicide risk including behavioural (withdrawn), verbal ("I can't do this anymore") or environmental (loss of job or relationship).; interpret urgency and early intervention; taking personal responsibility to help or find someone who can; knowing what to say or do; and, forming a conscious plan to professional help.

Ballarat and District Suicide Prevention Network offers free training, in partnership with Lifeline Ballarat, based on this model with its safeTALK program.

Training sessions are on hold amid the pandemic but network chairman and Ballarat policeman Des Hudson said these would be critical as we enter the unknown of post-pandemic life.

"As we've discovered plenty of times, there are those left behind who question 'what did I miss in signs' or 'what did I miss in what they said'," Leading Senior Constable Hudson said.

"Armed with a little understanding for when someone is throwing out warning signs there is the confidence to pick up the conversation and ask, 'are you considering suicide?'. We have a fear of death and don't tend to converse in this critical space enough."

Suicide among Ballarat men remains stubbornly high at almost 30 per cent more than than national average, according to new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data released earlier this month.

Research comes as the federal government has announced a $31.9 million injection to create 15 mental health clinics in Victoria and boost essential resources amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Six of the mental health clinics will be based in regional Victoria - likely to be in existing general practitioner clinics, youth mental health headspace bases or community health. How or whether this might impact Ballarat remains unclear with locations yet to be unveiled.

Dr Hill said about 50 per cent of people who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental illness and her study was not to suggest family and friends step in to try and manage risks. Rather, it was the other 50 per cent, those not necessarily seeking professional help, that family and friends could feel better equipped to recognise the signs.

She made clear even professionals could not always predict a suicide, but asking the right questions could help.

Dr Hill also wanted to debunk a common misconception and fear people had about putting the idea of suicide into someone's head - rather often it was a relief to feel heard and noticed when asked the question.

The study, via La Trobe's school of psychology and public health, compared people using the BIM to a group who only accessed support they found via internet searches.

Dr Hill said the next step was to apply for funding to take her program to community groups and with a app.

Support is available. You are never alone.

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