Youth Mental Health

The aim of our team is to better understand mental health issues in young people and ensure that the best possible treatments are provided for those that experience poor mental health.

Our values:

• Quality research and innovation - We value rigorous scientific methodology, whilst embracing novel ways of working, new strategies and opportunities.
• Diversity – We acknowledge, embrace and advocate for the diversity and specific needs of young people, accepting young people as they are.
• Lived experience - We value the lived experiences of young people, families, and the community and use these views to inform our work.
• Translation - We aim to translate our research into the real world efficiently and effectively to make a meaningful and positive impact in young people’s lives as soon as possible.
• Collaboration - We work with other local, national and global research and community partners to ensure we are developing and implementing gold standard research in youth mental health.
• Empowerment – We ensure that young people are integral to the initiation and development of research priorities and projects, and that they are empowered as partners in the research process.

Strategic goals:

• We will develop, evaluate & implement novel interventions for and with young people
  We recognise the limitations of existing mental health interventions for young people and will think outside the box to develop new and more effective strategies to improve mental health and reduce suicide in this population. We will look to existing models and methods outside of our field to inspire and innovate.
  
  
• We will expand our research focus on vulnerable young people
  We know that some young people are at high risk of developing mental health difficulties. We will better understand the needs of these vulnerable groups and work in partnership with them to develop targeted, effective and acceptable interventions that address their specific needs.
  
  
• We will increase access to high quality, targeted mental health prevention and intervention programs for all young people
  Young people have needs that are distinct from both children and adults, however, these needs are not always met by current service delivery models. Often the most vulnerable young people experience the poorest access to intervention. We will understand the gaps in service provision, and actively seek to address them through our research. We will use digital technology, stakeholder consultation and collaboration to reduce the research-to-practice gap and streamline translation of our research into clinical practice and the community.
  
  
• We will build youth mental health research capacity in WA
  We will recruit the best and brightest staff and students at all levels. We will grow their capacity to become skilled, ethical and compassionate independent researchers. We will invest in team culture to attract and retain the best people possible.

Team Highlights

Team members have received a number of prestigious awards:

Awards

Ashleigh Lin, PhD Supervisor of the year, 2019

Yael Perry, Women in Technology WA Award, 2020

Penelope Strauss, Awarded Suicide Prevention Australia Post-Doctoral Fellowship, 2021

Penelope Strauss, Best Research Paper (PhD) Award, Society for Mental Health Research, 2019

Penelope Strauss, Finalist for ExxonMobil Student Scientist of the Year, 2020

Alix Woolard, Society for Improvement of Psychological Science Mission Award as contributor to the ManyBabies Constortium, 2019

Nicole Hill, Forrest Prospect Fellowship, 2021

Zoe Waters, Valedictorian at graduation ceremony for Psychology students, 2019

Zoe Waters, Postgraduate Student Community Engagement Award, School of Psychological Sciences, UWA, 2019

Dan Raab, University Medal for Honours Thesis, 2021

Team members are also representatives and members on many committees and advisory groups:

Ashleigh Lin

• Society for Mental Health Research (SMHR), Executive representative from Western Australia, 2019 - present
• Australia Professional Association of Trans Health (AusPATH), Board of Governors member, 2019 - present LGBTIQ+ Health and Wellbeing Research Network Steering Committee - Invited member, 2020
• Child and Youth Clinical Trial Network (CTN) – Invited Executive and Foundation member, 2020
• Board member, Youth Focus (youth mental health non-for-profit organisation), 2020
• WA COVID-19 Youth Taskforce working group for Supporting young people’s health and mental health - Invited member 2020
• Research Advisory Council, Psychosis Australia Trust – Invited member 2020
• WA Suicide Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee, 2019 -2020

Yael Perry

• Orygen Research Committee, Member, 2020-present
• Early-Mid Career Researcher Committee, Society for Mental Health Research, Chair, 2020-present
• Healthway Research Assessment Committee, Member, 2020-present
• WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) LGBTQA+ Stakeholder Committee, Member, 2020-present

Penelope Strauss

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Special Interest Group, Public Health Association of Australia, Co-Convener, 2020-2021
• Australian Professional Association for Trans Health, Research Subcommittee, Member and Co-Convener, 2021
• WPATH Student Initiative and Student Representative to the Board of Directors, World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Chair, 2019-2021
• Member of the working group for founding the first national consortium for trans youth health in Australia, 2020
• North West Primary Health Network LGBTIQ Suicide Prevention Network, Member of taskforce, 2019-2020
• HealthPathways WA Gender Diversity and Transgender Health Working Group and Trans and Gender Diverse Patient Identification Card Workshop, Member of working group, 2019

Monique Robinson

• Mental Health Network WA, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health, Member of Steering Group, 2021

Alix Woolard

• Society for Mental Health Research conference, Tasmania, Scientific committee member, 2021
• 2022 Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference, Organisation committee member, 2021-2022

Zoe Waters

• Postgraduate Education Committee, School of Psychological Sciences, UWA, Student Representative, 2021
• WA APS College of Clinical Psychologists Committee, Student Representative for UWA, 2021