The new year is here and Australian Rotary Health (ARH) selected the projects that will receive grants to conduct research on the mental health of children 0-12 years old. Each grant is worth up to $70,000 for a year, with all thirteen projects totalling to over $850,000. These Mental Health Grants are a few of many existing grants currently being funded by ARH, including our Funding Partner Grants, Indigenous Health Scholarships and Rural Medical & Nursing Scholarships.

Australian Rotary Health made the announcement to narrow their research focus from under 25-year-olds to under 12-year-olds, late last year. With up to 50% of adults who experience mental illness showing symptoms by the age 14, early intervention in younger age groups will reduce the incidence of mental health problems in later life.

ARH are proud to be funding such special projects that will contribute to the wider research in improving the mental health of future generations.

The projects are as follows:

1. ‘Setting kids up for life: A digital program for improving the sleep & mental health of children aged 3-12 years’ – Professor Caroline Donovan from Griffith University, QLD.
2. ‘Improving childhood sleep: the bedrock of depression prevention’ – Dr Sophie Li from the Black Dog Institute affiliated with the University of New South Wales, NSW.
3. ‘A model of improved care for child mental health problems using Measurement-Based Care’ – Dr Lucy Tully from the University of Sydney, NSW.
4. ‘Optimising exposure treatment for children with anxiety’ – Professor Jennifer Hudson from the Black Dog Institute affiliated with the University of New South Wales, NSW.
5. ‘Improving child mental health in foster care: A pilot randomised trial of an attachment-and-trauma-informed intervention’ – Dr David Pasalich from Australian National University, ACT.
6. ‘FAST (Families Accessing online Skills Training) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Paediatric OCD: A nation-wide randomised controlled trial’ – Professor Lara Farrell from Griffith University, QLD.
7. ‘Cluster randomised controlled trial of a mental health education program in ACT primary schools’ – Professor Alison Calear from Australian National University, ACT.
8. ‘Trauma-Informed Behaviour Supports for the Early Intervention of Child Mental Health: A Pragmatic implementation Trial with Regional Schools’ – Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy from the University of Southern Queensland, QLD.
9. ‘Mental Health First Aid for supporting children: An evaluation of a new Mental Health First Aid Training for parents & teachers of 5-12 year olds’ – Dr Laura Hart from the University of Melbourne, VIC. This project will also be partly funded by the Rotary Club of Glenferrie (VIC) and their Lift the Lid Golf Day held in mid-2022.
10. ‘Feasibility & acceptability pilot trial of a coach-supported, online parenting intervention for parents of children with autism to reduce internalising’ – Dr Marie Yap from Monash University, VIC. This project will also be partly funded by the Late Stewart McDonald of the Rotary Club of Healesville (VIC).
11. ‘Supporting Toddlers, Engaging Parents (STEPs) to address early regulatory difficulties: A Multiphase Optimisation Strategy Approach’ – Dr Amy Finlay-Jones from the Telethon Kids Institute affiliated with the University of Western Australia, WA.
12. ‘A Staged Mental Health Care Plan for Children integrating child & parent assessment in Education settings: A feasibility randomised control trial’ – Professor Sonja March from the University of Southern Queensland, QLD.
13. ‘Increasing access to evidence-based mental health interventions for child mental health for carers of Aboriginal children: The Growing Minds Check In.’ – Dr Talia Carl from the University of Sydney, NSW.

Thank you to all the efforts of Rotarians and non-Rotarians for their fundraising efforts to help us fund these projects. We wish all the scholars the best for their projects. We look forward to seeing their research findings!

Media contact: Alexander Galati – [email protected]
First published 24th January 2023