University welcomes $2.6 million grant to continue the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support program

The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Mental Health has attracted a $2.6 million grant from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to continue its work on the LIFEWAYS program.

Partnering with collaborators from seven other universities and non-government organisations, the team will strengthen suicide prevention research in Australia, focusing on how to translate research evidence into practice.

LIFEWAYS is designed to help achieve the Australian Government’s commitment to reducing suicide deaths and suicidal behaviour across the Australian population. LIFEWAYS will take Australian research in this area to the next level, ensuring that findings make a real difference to the way suicide prevention services and programs are delivered. A critical element of the work involves drawing on the perspectives of people with lived experience of suicide.

Professor Jane Pirkis, Director of the Centre for Mental Health in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, welcomes the latest grant announcement.

“Such success speaks to the critical role a university plays in supporting successful partnerships and collaborations to respond to major social, economic, environmental and medical challenges impacting our communities,” she said.

Led by Dr Lennart Reifels the research team is looking forward to engaging with stakeholders from across the field to support the effective translation of suicide prevention research into policy and practice.

For further information contact:
Dr Lennart Reifels; research-leaders@unimelb.edu.au