Investigators
Prof Helen Milroy, Dr Alix Woolard, Dr Louise Delane, Dr Tamara Lipscombe, Dr Hayley Jackson, Lisa Kickett, Thomas Betts, Prof Jeneva Ohan, Dr Karen Lombardi, Kahli Regan, Kaitlin Dunn, Gracie Cayley, Prof Pat Dudgeon, Michael Mitchell, Dr Marshall Watson, Prof Sean Hood, Prof Ashleigh Lin, Mathew Coleman, Prof Michael Small, Dr Shraddha Kashyap, Dr Jemma Collova
Project description
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have thrived in Australia for over 60,000 years. Kinship structures ensured that each person was supported, and created an environment where wellbeing flourished. This was especially true for young people. However, the impact of colonisation, genocide, and continuing discriminatory policies have created a context for ongoing disadvantage, trauma, and high rates of mental health issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. One reason for a gap in mental health outcomes compared with non-Indigenous Australians, is that our mental health systems do not operate in a culturally safe and appropriate way for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
In 2022, we won grant funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to investigate the cultural safety of mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth. The project team is led by Aboriginal researchers and comprises an Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal team, who work closely with Aboriginal service providers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in mental health and suicide prevention.
This project will identify the requirements of cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and their families. Ultimately, we hope that the findings of this project will transform the current mental health system for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and reduce mental health issues among this group.
For more information, please contact Louise Delane (louise.delane@thekids.org.au) or Hayley Jackson (hayley.jackson@thekids.org.au).
Funders of the project
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)