$5 Million for Mental Health Research
Suicide prevention, substance abuse and better mental health planning will be the focus of research efforts at two new Centres of Research Excellence based at the University of NSW.
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Joint Release
The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
Minister for Health
The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing
Minister for Social Inclusion
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform
31 January 2013Suicide prevention, substance abuse and better mental health planning will be the focus of research efforts at two new Centres of Research Excellence based at the University of NSW.
Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek and Minister for Mental Health Mark Butler today opened the two new Centres of Research Excellence in Sydney which will focus their work on mental health.
Ms Plibersek said the centres formed part of the Government’s 2011 Budget commitment of $26.2 million over five years to strategic investment in mental health research.
“Minister Butler and I are delighted to open these centres as part of the Government’s strategic investment in mental health research priorities through the National Health and Medical Research Council,” Ms Plibersek said.
“Centres of Research Excellence work to achieve real health gains for Australians. They support the transfer of research outcomes into improved knowledge, better health systems and improved treatment for individuals and their families.”
Mr Butler said the two centres would play an important role in advancing our understanding of correlations between substance use and mental health, as well as improve suicide prevention efforts.
“Mental health and substance use disorders account for more years of life lost due to disability than any other disorders, and often occur together, affecting more than 300,000 Australians every year.”
“These two research centres will identify strategies which encourage people to seek help, and give us better evidence about the appropriate mix of services and support, and help us better understand the impact of substance use on mental health.”
“I look forward to the seeing the outcomes produced by both the Centre for Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention and Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use Translating Innovative Prevention and Treatment,” Mr Butler said.
Details of the Centres:
- Professor Helen Christensen, UNSW Black Dog Institute, received $2.5 million to improve suicide prevention in Australia through better implementation of effective interventions, improved risk identification and evidence informed policy.
- Professor Maree Teesson, UNSW National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre received $2.5 million to address mental health and substance use and to examine innovative prevention and treatment.
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