11 Feb 2023
Funding Boost for Youth Mental Health Amid Climate Distress.
Acknowledging the mental health issues caused by climate change, a new initiative called 'Platform for Research and Interventions in youth Mental health and the Environment' (PRIME) has been launched. Co-led by Associate Professors Caroline Gao from Orygen and Rebecca Patrick from the University of Melbourne, the project has received nearly $1 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Associate Professor Gao stated that this strategic approach would not only establish Australia as a leader in climate-related public health but also improve the nation’s research and implementation capabilities. “Despite rising rates of mental health issues among young people, worsened by climate-related distress, there is a shortage of evidence-based interventions specifically addressing the psychological effects of climate change,” A/Prof Gao said. “We’ve seen many innovative solutions developed to help young people with these challenges, but despite their strengths, these initiatives encounter significant obstacles when it comes to evaluation or large-scale implementation.”
Dr. Jana Menssink, PRIME’s investigator and program manager, mentioned that the project will provide a better way to measure the effectiveness of mental health interventions, allowing for rapid improvement and scaling. “Currently, it takes an average of 17 years to translate research into practical solutions, and we urgently need to change that,” Dr. Menssink said.
PRIME aims to create, implement, and assess mental health interventions designed for young Australians facing climate-related distress. It will concentrate on interventions delivered to young people in schools and other group environments, such as the ‘climate café’ – which Orygen has been running locally in partnership with Museums Victoria – providing spaces for young people to engage with science and mental health experts in open discussions about the climate crisis.
PRIME will act as an accelerator by efficiently and effectively supporting diverse initiatives through a comprehensive platform that streamlines and standardizes processes.
The project will also establish a youth and community advisory network to guide priority-setting, innovation, design, evaluation, and implementation of targeted interventions in climate-related youth mental health. A/Prof Gao is co-leading the project with researchers from Orygen, the University of Melbourne, Victoria University, the University of Sydney, and the University of Canberra, with the research team also collaborating with organisations like Museums Victoria, Youth Affairs Council Victoria, Psychology for a Safe Climate, Mission Australia, and STOPP/The Feds Australia.
The grant is part of nearly $11 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) efforts to enhance Australian research capacity in climate change and related health impacts.