Media Release

Prime Minister announces ORYGEN to lead new national youth mental health foundation

12 December 2005 
 
Prime Minister John Howard has announced that ORYGEN Research Centre has been selected to establish the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. The Research Centre is affiliated with ORYGEN Youth Health, the youth mental health service of Melbourne Health.

The new Foundation, supported by funding of $54 million over four years from the Federal Government, will foster community awareness of youth mental health issues, establish 'Communities of Youth Services' across Australia to encourage better coordination and integration of services to young people, develop education and training resources for GPs and other service providers, and establish a Centre of Excellence to promote evidence based practice in youth mental health.

'The consortium brings together a number of experienced organisations - ORYGEN, the Brain and Mind Research Institute, the Australian Divisions of General Practice and the Australian Psychological Society - to work towards improving the mental health of young Australians.' Mr Howard said.

The Foundation will be supported by an Advisory Board of youth mental health and drug and alcohol experts, young people and representatives from key national mental health bodies.

Mr Ryan Stokes will be the inaugural Chairman of the Foundation. 'Mr Stokes' leadership will be of great assistance in getting out the right messages about youth mental health to young people and the broader community,' Mr Howard said.

'Young Australians are particularly vulnerable when it comes to mental illness. One in four young Australians suffer from a mental illness in any one year and three-quarters of all mental health problems begin before the age of 25.

'The Foundation will help ensure that young people with mental health and drug and alcohol problems get the help they need.'