2024 Australian Mental Health Prize Awards

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

Professor Juli Coffin, a leading Aboriginal researcher deeply connected to Nyangumarta country in the Pilbara, is dedicated to improving the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal youth. She created the Yawardani Jan-ga Equine Assisted Learning program, based in the Kimberley region, which harnesses the healing power of horses to offer a culturally grounded alternative to conventional therapies. The program fosters trust, connection, and empowerment among Aboriginal young people, providing a safe space for control and self-reflection. Yawardani Jan-ga—meaning "horses helping" in the Yawuru language—reflects Juli’s mission to incorporate cultural security into health and education systems. As the Ellison Professor of Aboriginal Young Peoples’ Social and Emotional Well-being at Murdoch University, Professor Coffin is committed to long-term, community-driven solutions that honour Aboriginal knowledge and support healing on Aboriginal terms.

Lived Experience

Dr. Louise Byrne is a pioneering advocate in the Lived Experience movement. Drawing from her personal journey with mental health and adversity, Louise has become a leading figure in embedding Lived Experience roles within and beyond the mental health sector. Her groundbreaking 15-year research program has established a comprehensive evidence base that promotes the value of Lived Experience as a distinct discipline and outlines strategies to support this unique workforce. Louise’s leadership in initiatives such as the National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines has provided practical steps to embed Lived Experience within mental health services across Australia. Her influence extends globally through her roles at RMIT University and Yale University, and through her strategic consulting and training.

Professional

Professor Michael Berk is a distinguished mental health researcher whose work has significantly reshaped the treatment landscape of psychiatric disorders both in Australia and globally. As Director of the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) at Deakin University, his early research led to the first randomised controlled trials showing the effectiveness of medications for bipolar disorder, now standard treatments worldwide. One of his team’s most innovative contributions is using stem cell technology for drug discovery and repurposing. By developing a platform with patient-derived stem cells, Michael’s team can identify existing medications to treat psychiatric disorders, speeding up the development of new treatments. This approach is opening new avenues for conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Community Hero

Dr Marilyn June Anderson, a lifelong advocate for mental health and crisis intervention, has dedicated over 25 years of service at Lifeline, leading initiatives that have trained over 40,000 individuals, including frontline workers, volunteers, and community members, in areas such as suicide prevention, mental health, domestic violence, grief, and loss. Starting her career in Far North Queensland, Marilyn’s leadership has transformed Lifeline into a major force for community-based mental health support, reaching communities from the Hunter, Central Coast, and New England to remote areas in Victoria and Alice Springs. Driven by a belief in the power of community and the necessity for people to have the tools to support each other in times of crisis, she views her role as a calling, not just a career, aiming to make Lifeline a cornerstone of mental health support, especially in rural and regional areas where such services are often limited.