Researchers at Orygen have secured more than $1.5 million in funding through the National Health and Medical Research Council’s fellowship scheme to continue their work in youth mental health innovation and reform.
The fellowships will provide funding for improving outcomes for young people with emerging mental and substance use disorders, early prevention and intervention strategies for young people with bipolar disorder, and improved treatment strategies for complex depression and anxiety in young people.
Orygen’s executive director, Professor Patrick McGorry, has received funding of $963,000 to continue his research into improving interventions and models of care by looking at the optimal timing, sequence and duration of therapies.
Professor McGorry said he was looking forward to continuing his long-standing work in reforming and redesigning models of care for young people with mental ill-health.
“My position at Orygen provides unprecedented infrastructure and collaborations to achieve these goals and to further transform youth mental health,” Professor McGorry said.
Dr Simon Rice has received $349,000 to improve treatment strategies for complex depression and anxiety in young people.
“As depression and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental illnesses in Australia among young people, treatment innovation is urgently needed,” Dr Rice said.
Dr Aswin Ratheesh has been awarded a $232,000 Early Career Fellowship to lead and develop prevention and early intervention strategies for young people with bipolar disorder.
“Bipolar disorder is one of the most common causes of functional disability among young people aged 15-25 years,” Dr Ratheesh said.
“My research program aims to limit this disability by developing prevention and early intervention strategies for this vulnerable group.”