Mental Health is a priority for all

Every year, one in five Australians will experience a mental illness.

ACT. BELONG. COMMIT.

In 2014, mental health was the top concern for children and young people contacting Kids Helpline with one in four counselling contacts needing help about this issue. During the past year, we have seen an increase in the proportion of contacts regarding children’s mental and emotional health to our Parentline service. Many of our most disadvantaged clients suffer from poor emotional wellbeing and/or have mental health concerns.

We believe that early intervention and support is key to creating healthy communities. We're working smarter (and harder!) than ever to provide services and programs designed to improve the mental wellbeing of children and young people...

‘Starfish’ Program – Works to raise awareness of issues that may lead to poor mental health outcomes and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

Expressive Therapy Program – Helps children who have experienced abuse or trauma to communicate and express their experiences through art, movement, music and play.

Research Pilot Programs – Kids Helpline is working with the University of Sydney and the Black Dog Institute to pilot two research projects which will help inform future mental health support for young Australians.

Kids Helpline @ School – Offers primary school classroom sessions with a counsellor and is designed to improve mental health literacy, encourage help seeking and promote resilience. Kids Helpline @ School is supported by Optus.

NRL State of Mind – Kids Helpline has been a national partner of the NRL State of Mind Campaign, bringing together Australia’s key mental health service providers to help break down mental health stereotypes and stigmas.

The needs of young people are complex and diverse. We are committed to offering a range of services that can respond to each individual’s needs. Tracy Adams, BoysTown CEO

Saturday, 10 October 2015, is World Mental Health Day. This year, we're helping Mental Health Australia get the message out about their campaign, Mental Health Begins with Me! Check it out at https://1010.org.au/.

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