The Australian Government has committed over $14 million in mental health research through the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission to protect Australians for decades to come.
Across Australia's leading universities 8 different projects have been funded through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
These projects are aimed at protecting Australians from the psychological effects of extreme weather events and pandemics, as well as improving the mental health of communities that suffer from additional challenges and inequities that others do not.
Through the mission, the University of New England received $5 million for its research into creating a community-based mental health program following fire, drought and extreme weather events. The researchers are creating a proactive system to support communities after extreme weather events.
The MRFF is a $22 billion long-term investment to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of healthcare.
Full details of this grant round can be found below.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister, Emma McBride:
"Investment now means we're safeguarding the mental health of generations to come.
"We know that mental health is as important as physical health, so we need to invest just as aggressively in research to support wellbeing and resilience.
"Investing in preventive mental health measures for Australians means we'll be ready to deal with the mental consequences of the next COVID or bushfire."
| Project title | Project description | Organisation | Chief investigator A | Grant value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A community-based mental wellbeing and preparedness program for fire, drought and extreme weather events | This project signifies a major shift away from disaster recovery-based approaches to mental health by proactively identifying factors that build resilience and mental wellbeing in relation to environmental threats and delivering a preventative community-based and -led mental wellbeing and preparedness program for rural Australians. This project will provide a roadmap for leveraging community leadership in order to foster wellbeing and protect communities in future extreme weather events. |
The University of New England |
Doctor Suzanne Cosh |
$5,000,000.00 |
| Changes to Country: The role of Aboriginal cultural practices in mitigating the impact of, and adapting to, climate change to enhance social and emotional wellbeing | Aboriginal people are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change, while contributing the least to climate change. As a population who suffer from poorer mental health outcomes compared to non-Aboriginal people, Aboriginal people are at greater risk of the compounding effects climate change has on mental health. This project aims to investigate the use of cultural knowledge and practices as a protective factor for mental health in the context of a changing climate. | University of Western Australia |
Doctor Theoni Whyman |
$973,967.29 |
| Developing evidence-based responses for a climate-resilient mental health care system | Climate change poses a continual threat to our mental health and wellbeing. While the impact on infectious diseases and overall mortality is well studied, the effects on mental health remain underexplored. Recognising this global evidence gap, our research project aims to develop data-informed adaptation strategies involving policymakers. Our goal is to use health data to shape strategies for more resilient mental health care, especially in light of climate change's impact on mental wellbeing. | The University of Queensland |
Doctor Shafkat Jahan |
$588,455.60 |
| Improving telehealth-delivered mental health care for rural and remote areas | Findings of this project will provide much needed evidence on how the telehealth services via Better Access can be improved in ways that are pragmatic, achievable and equitable. Importantly, this new and innovative design of telehealth services will help to respond to the needs of those groups poorly served by the current systems, including those who live in outer urban, regional rural and remote areas. |
Monash University |
Doctor Long Le |
$953,635.60 |
| "It's not over yet": Improving the mental health and wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers and their families through co-designed intervention | Frontline healthcare workers (FHWs) and their families are among the groups that have experienced significant declines in mental health over the past 3 years, resulting in unprecedented resignations that threaten the stability of our health system. This project will collaborate with FHWs and their family members to identify, design and pilot an intervention to support their mental health and improve wellbeing. | Deakin University |
Associate Professor Jade Sheen |
$885,772.98 |
| Left to their own devices: Addressing the unmet needs of youth and their GPs during the wait time for mental health treatment | The wait time is a period of significant vulnerability as symptoms are acute, but treatment has not yet begun. This project tests out a new service model (While We Wait) to address the unmet psychological needs of teens during the wait time for mental health treatment. |
University of New South Wales |
Associate Professor Bridianne O'Dea |
$975,579.20 |
| Safeguarding the mental health of families in rural communities affected by environmental threats | Rural communities are often affected by natural disasters, which can contribute to mental health difficulties, family conflict and violence. This project will identify ways to promote the recovery and resilience of families in rural communities who are facing existing and future natural disasters. We will evaluate whether Family Foundations (FF), a family-based mental health intervention, can promote the mental health of parents of young children (0 to 12 years) living in rural communities. | Deakin University |
Associate Professor Rebecca Giallo |
$995,123.00 |
| Whose Care is Left Behind? A multi-level collective strategy to address structural inequalities in new models of care with priority populations | Place-based, payment/referral-free, peer supported service have been rapidly implemented since 2021 to respond to missing middle needs. The extent to which structural inequalities (such as insecure housing, employment, education and access to food) are addressed in these services remains unknown. Working across 25 sites, and 7 partnerships, Whose Care is Left Behind? will implement a participatory ecosystem with community-led solutions and reduce inequities in priority populations. | University of Melbourne |
Professor Victoria Palmer |
$4,000,000.00 |
Total expenditure |
$14,372,533.67 | |||
