Australia's Mental Health Think Tank

Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank aims to stimulate bold thinking around a national response to mental health, initially focused on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. The Think Tank exists to empower Australians, to create a better mental health system, to embrace hope and to build on strengths.

Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank acknowledges and pays respect to Elders, both past and present and all generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now and into the future as the Traditional Owners of this land.

Policy Paper
Youth Mental Health Recovery Plan

Think Tank Members

Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank is an independent group of world-leading mental health researchers, leaders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, clinicians, people with lived and living experience, business leaders, carers and policy experts.

Distinguished Professor Maree Teesson
AC, FAHMS, FASSA
Chair, Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank
Director, Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney
Chair, Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission Expert Advisory Panel

Professor Tom Calma
AO, FASSA, FAA
Chancellor, University of Canberra
Co-Chair, Reconciliation Australia
National Coordinator, Tackling Indigenous Smoking
Patron, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia

Professor Patricia Dudgeon
AM, FAHMS
Director, Centre for Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention, University of Western Australia
Director, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia

Mr John Brogden
AM
President, Lifeline International
Patron, Lifeline Australia

Scientia Professor Helen Christensen
AO, FASSA, FAHMS
Board Director, Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales

Professor Harvey Whiteford
MBBS, FAHMS
Director, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland
Affiliate Professor of Global Health, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation

Professor Ian Hickie
AM, FRANZCP, FASSA, FAHMS
Co-Chair, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney

Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin
Director and CEO, Hunter Medical Research Institute
President, Society for Mental Health Research
Chair, NHMRC Women in Health Science Committee
NHMRC Leadership Fellow, University of Newcastle

Professor Marc Stears
Director, UCL Policy Lab, University College London
Former Director, Sydney Policy Lab, University of Sydney

Professor Patrick McGorry
AO, FAA, FASSA, FAHMS
Executive Director, Orygen Centre for Youth Mental Health
Professor, University of Melbourne
Headspace Board

Professor Alison Calear
Co-Head, Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow

Professor Philip Batterham
Co-Head, Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University
Visiting Fellow, University of New South Wales

Professor John McGrath
AM, MBBS, FAHMS
Director, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland
Aarhus University, Denmark