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New MinRes partnership aims to prevent youth suicide

It’s a sad fact that’s not often talked about – suicide is the leading cause of death for young people in Western Australia.

More than just statistics, they are young lives whose loss affects us all, which is why we’ve chosen to support a new research program at the Telethon Kids Institute that aims to boost mental health services and prevent youth suicide in at-risk communities.

Led by Research Fellow Dr Nicole Hill, the Community Strengths in Suicide Prevention Project will use hospital and coronial suicide data to identify mental health ‘hotspots’ in WA, and then work with communities to tailor solutions to help improve youth mental health and wellbeing.

As Principal Partner for the project, Mineral Resources will support Dr Hill – an internationally respected early career researcher with a strong track record in suicide prevention research – as part of our $10 million, five-year commitment to Telethon, aimed at ensuring more children and young people have access to much-needed health services and support.

Mineral Resources Psychologist, Chris Harris, said adolescence was a time when signs of mental health issues may start to appear – making early intervention and access to support particularly important for young people.

“We know that some communities have higher rates of suicide and poor mental health outcomes, and that they’re in urgent need of better services,” Chris said. “We’re proud to support this valuable project, which will identify where support services are needed and drive long-term, sustainable changes.”

Learnings from the Community Strengths in Suicide Prevention project will be applied across WA, with Telethon Kids Institute and Mineral Resources set to work together with shared partners such as Youth Focus and Lifeline WA to implement short and long-term support for vulnerable young people.

We were delighted to hear that Dr Hill has been nominated for the WA Business News 40 Under 40 Awards, which recognise and celebrate WA’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators and future business leaders under the age of 40. We wish her all the best ahead of the gala dinner awards night on Friday 6 May.