We should recognise the need for greater national action to prevent mental disorders
Two recent events have highlighted the need for greater action to prevent mental disorders in Australia. The first was a national symposium on the prevention of mental disorders to guide the future funding priorities of Australian Rotary Health (ARH), the largest non-government funder of mental health research in Australia.1 The second was the establishment of the Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders (http://apmd.org.au) by a group of researchers working in mental disorder prevention. The Alliance aims to: advocate for funding for prevention research and for the translation of evidence into policy and practice; facilitate research and encourage new researchers; facilitate knowledge translation; and build partnerships with other disciplines and organisations with common aims.
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We have received research grant funding from ARH. Anthony Jorm is a member of the ARH research committee. We are board members of the Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders.