Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention leaders mark World Mental Health Day

Indigenous Australians are challenged by double the rates of psychological distress, mental health challenges and suicide more than other Australians, and the data suggests this ‘mental health gap’ is getting wider. 

Today, Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention leaders marked World Mental Health Day by making a number of calls to action to close the mental health gap. 

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health (NATSILMH) Chair Mr Tom Brideson said in Sydney:

While I acknowledge significant progress in recent years to establish the foundations of a national response to closing the Indigenous mental health gap, we should not forget that the work required is ahead of us.

In particular, I am cautiously optimistic about the announcement of a new Indigenous leadership body - Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia - by Health Minister Greg Hunt last month and that the new body will lead in the development of an Indigenous suicide prevention plan with a strong youth suicide prevention component.

Read the full media release below:

For media enquiries and interview requests for Professor Dudgeon and Mr Brideson, contact Nikki Lily on 0408 227 417.

• For more information about CBPATSISP see https://www.cbpatsisp.com.au/
• For more information about ATSISPEP see: https://www.atsispep.sis.uwa.e...
• For more information on the appropriate reporting of mental illness and suicide see: https://mindframe.org.au/

To access help-seeking services, contact:

• Lifeline: 131 114
• Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
• Mensline: 1300 78 99 78