New research projects funded by the Albanese Labor Government will ensure better support for children with language difficulties, children with eating disorders, new fathers, and people at risk of suicide.

The Australian Government is providing $8 million for 10 projects under the fifth grant opportunity for the Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission.

The grants include $970,000 to develop a high-quality, easy-to-use screening tool for childhood eating disorders that will enable earlier diagnosis of children.

$894,000 will provide new evidence to better target mental health support for new fathers who struggle with mental ill-health.

Another $904,000 will help to broaden suicide prevention focus to include employment factors such as unemployment, underemployment, precarious employment, work-related stress and financial distress.

$973,000 will look at better ways to help children who struggle to speak, read or write before the development of ill-mental health.

And another $474,000 will adapt the existing, adult-based Systematic Tailored Assessment for Responding to Suicidality protocol for use with young people. This will provide the first ever best-practice assessment protocol to identify young people at risk of suicide, as well as engage them in a safety and management plan.

The Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission provides $125 million for grants to support research into the causes of mental illness and psychological distress, and the best early intervention, prevention and treatment strategies.

Another Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission grant opportunity round is currently open for applications until 29 November 2023.

As at 9 August 2023