The Suicide Prevention Research Fund, managed by Suicide Prevention Australia, was created by the Federal Government in 2017 and allocated $12 million over three years to support research into suicide prevention.
The aim of the fund is to support world-class Australian research into suicide prevention and facilitate the rapid translation of knowledge into more effective services for individuals, families and communities.
On 15 June 2019, The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health announced four new grants for projects that will be funded under the Suicide Prevention Research fund.
The grants focus on saving lives through suicide prevention, supporting projects where the research objectives are more exploratory in nature or more developmental in design.
According to The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, “The National Suicide Prevention Research Fund is a world-first. It is designed to provide sustainable financial support for Australian suicide prevention researchers to develop new knowledge and approaches to suicide prevention”.
Everymind Suicide Prevention Project Lead Simon Pont said the Innovation grant announcement represented an excellent opportunity for further advancements in suicide prevention research.
“This is an exciting opportunity to develop the evidence base for suicide prevention, translating what we know works into practice,” Mr Pont said.
“Funding new research in Australia will continue to support the sector and community to respond to and communicate about suicide and its impacts."
The four successful recipients and their projects include:
- Dr Wei Du, Australian National University, Project: Hospital to Community Supports to Prevent suicide Re-Attempts.
- Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin, University of Newcastle, Project: SHADE and BreathingSpace – Alcohol, Depression and Social Isolation.
- Dr Mark Larsen, University of New South Wales, Project: Behavioural patterns at Suicide Hot Spots.
- Dr Miriam Posselt, University of South Australia, Project: Suicide Prevention Tools for Use With Asylum Seekers and Refugees.
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