Professor Eoin Killackey, Associate Director of Graduate Research and Education at Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental health, has been announced as President-Elect of the IEPA Early Intervention in Mental Health.
IEPA is a non-profit global network for mental health professionals involved in the study and treatment of the early phases of mental health disorders.
“I am very honoured to have been elected as President Elect of IEPA,” Professor Killackey said. “IEPA is the peak body for research in youth mental health and has been a powerful international advocate for system reform and better interventions for young people with mental illness and their families.”
Professor Killackey is looking forward to continuing IEPA’s transformation from its historic focus on psychotic illnesses into an association that champions developments across the entire spectrum of youth mental health.
“This will involve reaching out to researchers, clinicians, young people, families, funders and policy makers whose experience and expertise is in other areas of mental ill health and showing them that IEPA is a good forum through which their goals can be advanced,” Professor Killackey said.
“I also want to advocate for a greater presence of young people and families in IEPA as key partners in driving and translating research and promoting change.”
Professor Killackey will replace the association’s current President, Professor Peter B Jones, when he takes over the role in 2022.