Mental health and wellbeing projects

The Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing undertakes a range of projects to deliver on our work plan.

Children and young people's mental health

In 2019 a review was undertaken to hear from young people about their mental health and wellbeing. The Review of Children and Young People identified the need to respond to the concerns raised by children and young people with moderate to severe mental health issues. We have named the issues young people experience accessing services and support the 'Missing Middle'.

In 2020 we partnered with the Youth Coalition of the ACT and the Capital Health Network to work with the community to understand why children and young people experience challenges accessing mental health support.

The Final Report: Understanding the ‘Missing Middle’ provides an overview of the findings of this project. A key recommendation from this project was the establishment of a Child and Youth Mental Health Services Network to be led by the office, the Youth Coalition of the ACT and the Capital Health Network. The purpose of the network is to provide a forum for community, government and private services to continue working together to address the complexity associated with the missing middle.

The Review of academic literature on school based mental health programs for 8-12 year olds completed in 2019 also contributes to our understanding of mental health services for children and young people.

MindMap online navigation portal

The review of mental health services for children and young people identified a number of issues including navigation of the mental health sector and access to services.

We designed, developed and implemented the MindMap – ACT Youth Portal through a co-design process with the community.

This navigation portal is managed by Marymead CatholicCare and includes phone, chat and email support from 11am until 10pm 7 days per week. A key aspect of MindMap is the active hold service that enables a young person to engage with a clinical youth navigator while they are on the waiting list for a mental health service. Clinical youth navigators are outsourced to services with expertise in responding to the needs of young people.

Youth modelling – Right Care, first time, where you live

In 2022, we partnered with the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre to deliver the Right care, first time, where you live research program.

The program worked with ACT stakeholders and young people with lived experience to develop a system modelling tool. The tool can be used to build the case for services to support improved social, educational, and economic outcomes for young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The program involved 3 formal workshops with the sector and included dedicated youth engagement. Talking with young people helped ensure lived experience was a key consideration in the development of the model. We continue to work with the Brain and Mind Centre to implement the tool.

Developing an overarching approach to improving mental health and wellbeing

The ACT has a range of polices and plans that contribute to improving the mental health of our community. These plans are diverse in scope and span many areas of ACT Government responsibility.

Our work plan takes a strategic approach to mental health. Our actions across all areas of government will lead towards the achievement of our vision for a kind, connected and informed community working together to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of all.

Documents explaining our strategic approach and vision include:

Older persons mental health strategy

In 2022 we released the Older Person’s Mental Health Strategy: Towards our Vision Re-envisioning Older Persons Mental Health and Wellbeing in the ACT Strategy 2022-2026.

The strategy identifies initiatives to be implemented over the next five years to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of older Canberrans. The strategy was developed in consultation with stakeholders including older people, mental health service providers, government and non-government organisations. It includes their perspectives on the key priorities for older Canberrans in relation to their mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more in the Older Person’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Gender affirming care for mental health

In 2021 we released the Guidance to Support Gender Affirming Care for Mental Health. The guidance was officially launched during Transgender Awareness Week 2021.

The guidance is a collaboration between the office, the Office of LGBTIQ+ Affairs, ACT Health, A Gender Agenda (AGA), and Meridian. This guidance is a first of its kind in Australia and has been designed to support providers of mental health care. It helps organisations to deliver their services in a gender affirming way, meeting the needs of trans and gender diverse people.

In April 2022 the office started the Guidelines Implementation Advisory Working Group with key stakeholders. The group makes recommendations and shares strategies to implement the guidance.

ACT Mental Health Workforce Strategy

In 2022 we developed the Framework for the ACT Mental Health Workforce Strategy.

The strategy outlines the values, principles and priority areas that underpin this important work now and into the future. The next phase of the ACT Mental Health Workforce Strategy is the development of the first action plan which will run for 2-3 years. This action plan will identify the priority actions to take now to start to address short and long term workforce needs.

Suicide prevention

In 2018 the ACT Government invested $1.545 million in a 3 year high-fidelity research trial of LifeSpan, the Black Dog Institute’s integrated suicide prevention framework.

The ACT trial ended on 30 June 2021 and research findings indicated that ACT LifeSpan improved collaboration on suicide prevention activity across the local community.

We have reviewed and updated the framework and governance processes that continue to support suicide prevention after the LifeSpan trial.

We continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the framework includes issues from across the diverse ACT community and issues arising from gaps in unemployment services, housing and relationship supports.

We continue to:

support the promotion of help-seeking in young people
ensure a compassionate approach
include the voice of lived experience in all our suicide prevention work
promote increased awareness in the general community about responding to suicide and self-harm.

Our current major suicide prevention strategies are listed below.

Question, persuade, refer training

We raise community awareness about tackling suicide and self-harm with a free online suicide prevention training program - Question Persuade Refer (QPR).

QPR is a suicide prevention intervention that teaches gatekeepers to recognise and respond positively to someone exhibiting suicide warning signs and behaviours.

Gatekeepers can be anyone including parents, friends, neighbours, teachers, clerics, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, and many others. A gatekeeper is anyone who is in a position to recognise and refer someone at risk of suicide.

If you are interested in this training you can access it at QPR online.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and suicide prevention

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and suicide prevention is a major priority for the office.

We support and work in partnership with the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Partnership Group.

The ACT culturally appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention, aftercare, and postvention service is now operating. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service, Thirrili, is delivering this service, and through community engagement and co-design activities is continuing to ensure the service meets the needs of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Connecting with People program

We champion compassionate and informed engagement with those in suicidal distress and supports co-production of safety plans.

The Connecting with People (CwP) program is an evidence-informed approach to suicide prevention. The program includes assessment tool and challenges the traditional risk quantification, prediction and management of suicidality. The program is suitable for workers in government, non-government organisations and the community sector.

The philosophy of CwP is that suicide is not a foregone conclusion for those living with suicidality and compassionately talking about suicide is not a contributory risk factor.

CwP is a facilitated modular program, with each module running for approximately 2 hours. Modules are graduated and progressive; the program caters for anyone from concerned community members to experienced clinicians.

CwP training has been provided in ACT clinical and community mental health sectors, with plans to expand access across the Territory.

Youth Aware Mental Health program - YAM

YAM is a free mental health program offered to Year 9 students in ACT schools.

It is an evidenced-based program designed to develop mental health and address suicidal behaviour. It is flexible and can be integrated into the school environment. YAM builds resilience, encourages help-seeking and equips young people with the skills and confidence to look after themselves and each other.

YAM has been implemented in the ACT since 2020.

ACT schools are approached to run YAM. Participation is on a school-basis (rather than individual), so if you are interested in your child participating in YAM, ask your school if they will be offering YAM this year.

You can find out more about YAM in the Youth Aware of Mental Health – ACT Lifespan video.

More information

For more information email OfficeforMHW@act.gov.au