The Priority Populations award acknowledges Sam's leadership in developing suicide prevention interventions for international students, who are less likely to seek mental health support than their peers.
To access these resources, visit: bit.ly/4rSY8df
Congratulations to Orygen Senior Research Fellow Dr @sammckay.bsky.social, whose impactful work has been recognised with a 2026 Suicide Prevention Australia VIC LiFE Award!
RESOURCE | Orygen's Suicide Prevention team has developed a set of co-designed recommendations for researchers to use when considering the role of parents and carers of young people involved in suicide research.
Free to access: bit.ly/3MqYAjx
Short-term supports are essential to ensure young people can access the mental health care they deserve.
Orygen’s Brief Intervention Toolkit (BIT) helps equip clinicians to deliver this kind of care. Places are limited for our next one-day online training on 4 March: bit.ly/4avdKfi
The visit comes after headspace Craigieburn was recognised with headspace's 2025 Outstanding Contribution to Student Placement Programs award for their impact in this space.
More on the award: bit.ly/4axTMkj
We were pleased to yesterday welcome The Hon Emma McBride and Basem Abdo MP to headspace Craigieburn, who visited to congratulate the team for their delivery of high-quality student placements, and to see how this is building the workforce that supports young people locally.
Congratulations to the team at headspace Craigieburn on this week receiving a national award for their delivery of high-quality, multidisciplinary student placements – which have supported more than 58 emerging clinicians since 2022 👏
More: bit.ly/4axTMkj
📸: Jordy Scott
Developed by Orygen's suicide prevention team in partnership with young people, #chatsafe is a collection of resources and advice on how to talk about self-harm and suicide safely online.
More from @chatsafe.bsky.social this #SaferInternetDay: bit.ly/4ksOtHs
Orygen's Prof. Patrick McGorry will be joining sector leaders at the First Step Futures Forum next week for an important conversation about what the next 25 years of care could look like.
📍 Wednesday 11 Feb at 3pm
St Kilda Town Hall
Free to register: bit.ly/4b6fKgj
While many young people experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours, it's estimated that fewer than half access support.
Digital tools could help address this, new Orygen research has found: bit.ly/3MdTdUu
A new $770K research grant will advance an important pilot study led by Orygen's Prof. @kelly-allott.bsky.social, which aims to give young people, their families and supporters more say in the treatment decisions that affect them.
Details: bit.ly/4q1XbgU
Orygen recognises 26 January as Survival Day.
In the words of our First Nations team here at Orygen, it's also a reminder that history is created every day, and that by acknowledging the past and committing to learning and action, we can all individually contribute to a better future.
NEWS | Orygen has been appointed to operate a new headspace centre in Moonee Valley, expanding access to free, youth-specific mental health care across Melbourne's north-west.
Details: bit.ly/4sQT2ix
RESEARCH | Delusions in psychosis are shaped by emotions and language, an important new study from @unibirmingham.bsky.social, @unimelb.bsky.social, @york.ac.uk and Orygen has found – challenging old notions about these experiences.
More details + key findings: bit.ly/4pBBgg8
Integrated care can make a real, meaningful difference for young people experiencing mental ill-health and substance use concerns.
First Step is bringing together leading voices including Orygen's Prof. Patrick McGorry to envision the future of care: bit.ly/4b6fKgj
RESEARCH | A new Orygen study has found that of young people who attend headspace centres and use substances, as many as 65% also meet the criteria for substance use disorder – with important implications for early intervention.
More: bit.ly/45vTEQv
LGBTQIA+ people continue to experience significantly higher levels of mental ill-health than heterosexual people, and new research from Orygen and La Trobe University has shown why addressing stigma from every level matters.
Details: bit.ly/4pP6MIy
Over 1.1 million Australians live with an eating disorder – and almost 1 in 3 are under 19. Early intervention saves lives, yet treatments have not improved in decades.
These holidays, you can help change that: bit.ly/4pOSAPi
NEWS | $14m in funding from Wellcome will enable Orygen Digital and @unimelb.bsky.social to create MOST-Nexus, a world-first digital platform combining AI, clinical care, and peer support.
Details: bit.ly/4pII38X
RESEARCH | The advice young men receive after a breakup is often the opposite of what they actually want and need, a new study led by Orygen Research Fellow @michaelwilson1.bsky.social has found.
More: bit.ly/3KK6eob
As Australia implements age-based restrictions on social media, Orygen has published new research that shows Australians of all ages are being exposed to self-harm and suicide-related content online – and those aged 15-25 are especially vulnerable.
More: bit.ly/3XJ0Swj
Eating disorders research funding amounts to just ~$2 for every person in need. It's this chronic underfunding that means A/Prof. Andrea Phillipou and her team's work is at risk of discontinuing.
These holidays, you can help change that: bit.ly/4pOSAPi
Congratulations to all the presenters, whose important work is helping drive the advances needed in youth mental health 👏
We were also pleased to host the inaugural Orygen Early- to Mid-Career Awards Showcase last week, with presentations from Orygen researchers including Dr @roospotkolder.bsky.social, Dr @stephmiles.bsky.social, Dr @scotttags.bsky.social, Dr Eleanor Bailey, Dr Shayden Bryce and Dr Elise Carrotte.
Graduate Research Conference highlights also included presentations from Best Abstract awardees Vita Pilkington, @joshnguyenpsych.bsky.social and Rosalind Ge (L-R).
The 2025 Graduate Research Conference showcased the work of PhD candidates at Orygen and @unimelb.bsky.social, including:
👉 L-R: Best Presentation winners J van Twest Farmer, Madeline Baker, @michaelwilson1.bsky.social and Rochelle Ye, with Graduate Research Director Prof. @kelly-allott.bsky.social.
Emerging research excellence has been in the spotlight here at Orygen recently, with two key events celebrating the impactful work of our early- and mid-career researchers 🧵
Are you a psychiatry trainee or consultant looking to specialise in youth psychiatry?
Applications are now open to study Orygen's Professional Certificate in Youth Psychiatry, the only fully online course of its kind in Australia and New Zealand: bit.ly/3KnLl1M
NEW RESEARCH | One of Australia's largest, most comprehensive generational analyses of suicide-related behaviours has revealed the concerning extent to which Gen Z are experiencing these thoughts and behaviours.
Key findings + recommendations: bit.ly/3KySFI3
RESEARCH | Early – and more rapid – exposure to the oestradiol (E2) hormone during puberty can lead to faster brain maturation and a greater risk of mental ill-health in girls.
That's the key finding of a study led by Orygen PhD student Muskan Khetan: bit.ly/4pyX3Wm
