Congratulations to Dr Claire Kelly and Dr Laura Hart who have received Suicide Prevention Australia’s 2024 National LiFE Award for Outstanding Contribution. This award recognises their significant contribution to the development of the Teen Mental Health First Aid® program.
During the LiFE Awards Gala Dinner this week, Suicide Prevention Australia recognised Dr Claire Kelly of Mental Health First Aid International and Dr Laura Hart of the University of Melbourne for their roles in developing the Teen Mental Health First Aid (MHFA®) program.
The collaboration between Mental Health First Aid International and the University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health has ensured that the Teen MHFA program is grounded in rigorous research and informed by lived experience.
The Teen MHFA program trains adolescents aged 12–16 with the skills to provide initial peer-to-peer support to a friend or classmate who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis. In the course, young people learn how to apply an action plan to support a peer experiencing a crisis such as suicidal thoughts and behaviours, how to encourage the person to seek professional help, and when to seek the help of a trusted adult.
With a strong delivery model that includes the national MHFA Instructor Network and the global reach of Mental Health First Aid International, the program has had a significant impact on mental health awareness and support for young people across the globe.
Since the launch of the program in 2014, more than 4,700 programs have been delivered across 578 Australian schools to almost 100,000 students. The program is also delivered by international partners in 17 countries, including the USA, Canada, UK, NZ, India and Germany.
In the USA, the adaptation and rollout were funded by Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, resulting in more than 100,000 teens being trained.
On receiving the award, Claire and Laura thanked the teams at Mental Health First Aid International and the University of Melbourne for their work and research on the program.
“We also want to thank the instructors of the course both here in Australia and around the world who have made the course a success,” Claire added. “The other nominees were incredible, and we feel very honoured to receive the award.”
Claire and Laura also received the 2024 Victorian LiFE Award for Outstanding Contribution in March this year.
About Dr Claire Kelly
Claire has played a vital role in Mental Health First Aid both in Australia and internationally. Her commitment to MHFA spans two decades, starting as a Mental Health First Aider in 2001, before becoming an MHFA instructor in 2003 and collaborating closely with MHFA founders Betty Kitchener and Tony Jorm in the research team at the Australian National University.
Claire’s authorship of the manuals and handbooks used in Mental Health First Aid courses, alongside her work shaping the Mental Health First Aid Guidelines and mentoring international partners to deliver the program in their countries, highlights her significant impact on mental health first aid education across the world.
About the LiFE Awards
Suicide Prevention Australia’s LiFE Awards are designed to acknowledge the extraordinary work being done throughout the country in suicide prevention and showcase dedication, innovation and leadership of individuals and organisations. They celebrate the commitment and determination of those working towards the reduction of suicide within our communities.
