$8 million for mental health and suicide prevention research

The Australian Government is providing $8 million for ten projects in mental health and suicide prevention under the Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission.

The Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission supports research that addresses national mental health priorities, encouraging the application of research outcomes into practice.

A media release from The Hon. Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Assistant Minister Rural and Regional Health shared news of the funding for ten projects led by six Australian Universities.

The funding will support research in various areas, including:

• Development of a screening tool to support early diagnosis of eating disorders in children
• Generation of new evidence to inform prevention and treatment of mental health concerns for new fathers
• Expansion of suicide prevention research to include factors that may increase the risk of suicide, such as employment and financial distress
• Research to support children who struggle with speech, literacy and numeracy and its impact on mental health
• Adapting existing tools to better identify and respond to young people at risk of suicide.

This is the fifth opportunity provided under the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission.