Mindout: LGBTI mental health project

The first national project of its kind, MindOUT! is funded by the Commonwealth Government to work with LGBTI organisations and mainstream mental health organisations to improve mental health and suicide prevention outcomes for LGBTI people and populations. Phase 1 of the project involved a series of online surveys of LGBTI people, LGBTI organisations and mainstream organisations about LGBTI related mental health and suicide prevention issues. In addition, a paper titled 'LGBTI People Mental Health and Suicide' was written by Gabi Rosenstreich.

Phase Two which began in September 2011 and is funded until September 2013, has two main areas of focus:

• Assisting LGBTI organisations to be more responsive to suicide prevention and mental health issues for LGBTI persons and communities
• Working with mainstream mental health and suicide prevention organisations to assist them to be more responsive to the needs of LGBTI persons and communities

MindOut! contains within it the following projects and initiatives:

• LGBTI Inclusivity Guidelines for mainstream mental health and suicide prevention organisations.
• Practice Wisdom resource for clinicians working with LGBTI people.
• Piloting a LGBTI champions programme in mental health and suicide prevention services
• Advocacy and policy submissions on mental health and suicide prevention initiatives
• Training for mainstream service clinicians on LGBTI inclusiveness and LGBTI related mental health & suicidality.
• Mental Health Promotion Framework for LGBTI populations
• Facilitating a forum for discussion, information sharing and research on LGBTI suicide prevention and mental health through a LGBTI mental health / suicide prevention network.
• Training programme for LGBTI organisations on mental health and suicide prevention

For more information about Mindout go to

http://lgbtihealth.org.au/mindout