Development of an online portal to support youth and parents

Suicide and psychological distress are significant public health problems, with at least one in five Australians experiencing a mental health problem in any 12-month period. Suicide is also the leading cause of death in young Australians aged 15-24 years and a recent report published by Mission Australia and the Black Dog Institute found that 33% of young people aged 15-19 years living in Canberra met criteria for a mental illness. A number of barriers to help-seeking for psychological distress and suicide have been identified, including limited knowledge of the availability and effectiveness of services or how to access them, as well as the cost of mental health services and waiting lists to access services.