Mental Health Partnerships Fund
Experiences of mental ill-health will affect almost half of the population in Australia within their lifetime, with an estimated 20% of the population (over 4 million people) experiencing mental ill-health in any given year and is widely recognised as a serious health issue that is growing nationally.
Despite ongoing investment and attempts to reform the mental health and suicide prevention service systems, the current state of care is fragmented, uneven, costly, compromising to individuals’ human rights and has not lead to significant changes in national health outcomes.
Investing in Better Mental Health & Funding Prevention.
Prevention and early intervention strategies produce the greatest impact on people’s health and well-being. This is particularly true for youth mental health where prevention and early intervention are recognised as key elements for minimising the impact of any potentially serious condition.
01/If we...
Support organisations that provide frontline services in the community that deliver early intervention and prevention initiatives such as:
- Identifying the problem at the earliest possible stage to prevent the problem worsening or progressing to a more severe form of illness
- Ensuring access to the most appropriate form of support or treatment for as long as needed
- Encourage leading researchers to develop bench top to bedside translational research
02/By...
Leveraging our partnerships and sector relationships to collaborate with others and increase the impact of our work through funding organisation that:
- Provide preventative or early intervention supports and services increasing the quality and quantity of community based support services working alongside existing medical services.
- Ensure greater knowledge of and availability of early intervention and integrated mental health supports to people who need them.
- Support clinicians and community to implement holistic, early intervention programs featuring new and novel therapies.
03/Resulting in...
A positive experience and fostering hope for future wellbeing through:
- Less intense treatment
- Fewer impacts on social and family relationships, academic outcomes and work opportunities
- Less severe continuing symptoms
- Longer and fuller recovery
- Increased self esteem and motivation
04/Leading to...
A cohesive community with flourishing mental health and wellbeing where people are
- In a state of optimal functioning
- Engaged with their environment and connected to their community
- Empowered to access and adopt integrated mental health & wellbeing practices
- Free from stigma for seeking mental health care and no longer face discrimination in the community or workplace
Consistently, official reviews and inquiries have called for far greater investment in early intervention and prevention. This is why the CI Philanthropy Committee approved grant to support the work of Ocean Mind in September 2021.
Ocean Mind is a charity that provides therapeutic surf programs for young people who are experiencing mental health challenges, social isolation and disabilities. Using a simple mix of surfing, mentoring and fun they create a therapeutic environment for young people to challenge themselves, learn new skills and flourish.
We have chosen to partner with Ocean Mind as they use an evidence-based model which has demonstrated outstanding results in helping young people who are experiencing difficulties to make them feel more accepted, positive and comfortable with their lives. All of Ocean Mind’s programs are evaluated and assessed to measure the impact on participants lives. As one of our newest partners, Ocean Mind’s future is bright as they strategically seek out opportunities for growth and renewal that are aligned with their values and deliver positive outcomes and benefits for the community and the environment.
