MindOut: Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
Although many LGBTIQ+ Australians live healthy and happy lives, research has shown that a disproportionate number experience poorer mental health outcomes and have higher risk of suicidal behaviours than their peers.
MindOut develops and delivers national suicide prevention initiatives for the mental health and suicide prevention sectors to help them meet the needs of LGBTIQ+ populations. In doing so, the program aims to improve the mental health outcomes and reduce suicide and suicidal behaviour amongst LGBTIQ+ people and communities.
The goals and objectives of MindOut are:
- Support LGBTIQ+ people and communities to be able to identify and respond to their own mental health needs, along with supporting others in the LGBTIQ+ community.
- Work with Government to support the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ populations in mental health and suicide prevention strategies, policies and programs.
- Work with mental health and suicide prevention organisations and services to support them to be increasingly responsive to the needs of LGBTIQ+ people and communities.
MindOut achieves this through implementing the following activities:
- Developing a suite of professional resources for the mental health sector.
- Providing training and education for mental health professionals on LGBTIQ+ mental health.
- Delivering mental health and suicide prevention awareness education for LGBTIQ+ people.
- Establishing supportive partnerships with mental health and suicide prevention organisations.
- Facilitating online professional development opportunities for the mental health and suicide prevention sector.
- Codesigning projects with advisory groups made up on LGBTIQ+ people with lived experience of mental health and suicidality.
Resources:
LGBTQA+ Mental Health and Suicidality: State and Territory-based briefing papers (2024)
Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, in partnership with LGBTIQ+ Health Australia and the Australian Research Centre for Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), this set of briefing papers is based on data from three major surveys of LGBTQA+ health and wellbeing – Private Lives 3, Writing Themselves In 4, and Pride and Pandemic.
National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy
The National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy - Beyond Urgent is a plan for strategic action to prevent mental ill-health and suicide, and promote good mental health and wellbeing for LGBTIQ+ people and communities across Australia.
Webinar: LGBTIQ+ Body Pride: Navigating body image and eating disorders
The LGBTIQ+ community is disproportionately impacted by eating disorders and body image concerns.
Pride & Pandemic: Health experience and coping strategies among LGBTQ+ people during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
Pride and Pandemic is a joint study between La Trobe University's Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia.
A recap of the Leadership In Action: LGBTIQ+ Suicide Prevention Forum
MindOut Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Officer Yesim Karasu recaps the MindOut Leadership In Action forum on 12 & 13 May
Factsheet: Understanding Suicide Among Trans and Gender Diverse People
Many transgender and gender diverse people live happy and healthy lives; however, some also experience a higher burden of poor mental health and rates of suicidality than the general population.
Expression of Interest - Paid role for LGBTIQ+ storytellers
MindOut is looking for LGBTIQ+ storytellers, musicians and artists to share their experiences about what LGBTIQ+ leadership looks like in their local community. Successful applicants will have their work included in a larger webinar that looks at LGBTIQ+ leadership - especially within the context of mental health and suicide prevention – and how we can make space for change-makers who are unseen or underrecognized in their communities.
Expressions of Interest: Paid speaking role for Teachers and LGBTIQ+ Parents
We are seeking video submissions from teachers and teaching support staff who support LGBTIQ+ young people in their community. Successful applicants will have their video submission included in a larger Suicide Prevention webinar around how we can make schools safe communities for LGBTIQ+ students, staff and families. Successful applicants will also be paid $200 for their submission.
Guidance to support gender affirming care for mental health
This guide from the ACT Government and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia member Meridian Health is designed to support providers of mental health care to be able to deliver their services in a gender-affirming way to support the needs of trans and/or gender diverse people.
National Lived Experience Peer Workforce Development Guidelines
The National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines are the result of extensive consultation and a co-production process to ensure that national standards for Lived Experience workforce development are grounded in the expertise of lived experience.
Webinar: the Lean On Me report
This live webinar panel, chaired by Amber Loomis of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, explores the recently released Lean on Me report from La Trobe University. The report revealed that the responsibility for providing suicide prevention in LGBTQ communities in Melbourne frequently falls on peers with little or no training in responding to a mental health crisis. This ARCSHS report, funded by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN), explores how LGBTQ individuals experiencing mental health concerns turn to their peers.
Beyond Urgent: National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy
This is LGBTIQ+ Health Australia's second National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy, and it comes at a critical juncture for LGBTIQ+ people in Australia.
Fact Sheet: Intersectionality and Youth Mental Health
Orygen fact sheet for professionals working with young people.
"Intersectionality describes how multiple social aspects of identity, such as gender, race and sexuality, intersect or interact with each other. Intersectionality is about seeing a person as a whole, and encourages thinking beyond discrete labels that make up someone’s identity and experience in the world."
WEBINAR: LGBTQA+ Conversion Practices in Australia
This webinar explored the history and impact of LGBTQA+ conversion practices in Australia. Recorded 31 March 2021.
National Suicide Prevention Adviser Final Advice Response
Analysis: National Suicide Prevention Adviser Final Advice to Government and Productivity Commission’s Final Report
Webinar: Launch of LGBTIQA+ Suicide Postvention Response Plan
On behalf of our member organisation Switchboard, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia will host the launch of the LGBTIQA+ Suicide Postvention Response Plan. This webinar aims to support the work of LGBTIQ member organisations when responding to the need of people affected by suicide.
R U OK's LGBTIQ+ Conversation Guide
R U OK? has developed a conversation guide that contains tips to help you know when and how to ask someone who is gender, bodily or sexuality diverse, “Are you OK?” in a safe and supportive way.
Current Evidence For Good Practice In Suicide Prevention For LGBTIQ+ People
This report provides an overview of evidence from 2010 to 2020 for good practice in suicide prevention for LGBTIQ people. It largely focuses on peer-reviewed literature from 2018 onwards.
Webinar: We can all respond to suicide
This webinar explores the importance and benefits of creating LGBTIQA+ specific learning environments to build suicide awareness and response skills – for, with and within our own communities.
MindOut Champions Project
Established in 2013, the MindOut Champions project is a free source of professional development for all people working in the mental health or community service sector within Australia.
Equal not the Same: Introduction to LGBTIQ+ Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
LGBTIQ+ people are over-represented in mental health statistics of anxiety and depression, and have an increased risk of self-harm and suicide due to their experiences of stigma, discrimination, prejudice, abuse, violence, exclusion and isolation.
MindOUT Webinars List
MindOut webinars critically engage with topics related to mental health and suicide prevention for LGBTIQ+ people.
SYNTHESIS OF CURRENT EVIDENCE FOR GOOD PRACTICE IN SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR LGBTI PEOPLE
Suicide Prevention Australia partnering with The LGBTI Health Alliance for the development of LGBTI Suicide Prevention Good Practice Guidelines. This synthesis informed the development of the pending LGBTI Suicide Prevention Good Practice Guidelines.
MindOUT Youth Project Report
The MindOUT! Youth Project brought together ten LGBT specialist youth services from around Australia to document and celebrate the amazing work they already do with LGBT young people.
Employers’ Guide to Intersex Inclusion
This guide for employers, business managers, diversity and HR Professionals aims to introduce intersex and provide practical
assistance to help build intersex inclusive practice. It is mostly aimed at employment practice, but much of the material will also help build inclusive service delivery.
Working Therapeutically with LGBTI Clients: A Practice Wisdom Resource
This manual draws from the consulting room experience of a number of psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors who have worked with a broad range of sex, sexuality and gender diverse clients.
Going Upstream: A Framework for Promoting the Mental Health of LGBTI People
This document provides a framework to guide the development and implementation of strategies that promote mental health and wellbeing in LGBTI Australians. The document draws on a growing body of Australian and international research and identifies key factors known to influence mental health for these communities.
Championing Inclusion: A Guide to Creating LGBTI Inclusive Organisations
This resource draws on learnings from the Champions pilot project facilitated by MindOUT! in 2013-14. It provides a framework for organisations wishing to instigate a LGBTI Champions project across a diverse range of workplaces and groups, including mental health and suicide prevention services and organisations.
Cultural Competency Implementation Framework
This document is designed to support mainstream mental health and suicide prevention services to better provide for LGBTI communities. The aim of the Framework is to ensure that these organisations are better able to recognise, understand and meet the specific needs of LGBTI people.
Pathways to Inclusion
This paper provides a framework for providers of mainstream mental health and suicide prevention organisations to better recognise, understand and meet the specific needs of LGBTI people.