Mental Health Month wrapped up last week with a celebration of Canberrans who have supported those experiencing mental health challenges in the ACT.

The ACT Mental Health Month Awards recognise the achievements of individuals and organisations who have worked to improve understanding, awareness, service provision, and the mental health and wellbeing of our community.

The winners for this year’s Mental Health Month Awards are:

·         Mentally Healthy Community Award (Individual): Ben Farinazzo

·         Innovated Person-centred Supports Award: Chat to PAT

·         Research Evaluation Award: ACACIA: The ACT Consumer and Carer Mental Health Research Unit – headed by Associated Professor Michelle Banfield

·         Mental Health Carer Award: Mental Health Carers Voice Advocacy and Policy Advisory Group

·         Community Connection through Recovery Award: Jacinta Dubojski

·         Leadership through Lived Experience Award (Consumer): Jane Grace

·         Lived Experience Ally Recognition Award (Individual): Neena Matthee

·          Lived Experience Ally Recognition Award (Group): Rebus

·         Consumer Small Business Grant Program: Liam Adams

·         ACT Mental Health Consumer Network Consumer Scholarship: Paul Thompson and John Welsby

·         Rufus Scholarship: Jeremy Michael

·         David Perrin Award: Felicity Maher

The awards are organised by the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT, and delivered alongside key partners, including Carers ACT and the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network.  

“Often when we discuss mental health, the focus is on crisis points and acute care settings,” Melanie Poole, CEO of the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT, said. “So much media about mental health is framed in the negative. You see pictures of people looking downcast, head in their hands, and in the shadows. You see sadness, frustration, isolation, despair.

“But our awards tell the unsung stories: the care, passion, dedication, resilience, recovery, and community that exists all around us in the ACT.”

Emma Davidson, ACT Minister for Mental Health, congratulated the recipients of this year’s awards, and acknowledged the enormous contribution they have made to the ACT.

“This Mental Health Month has been an opportunity to build awareness of mental health, promote positive mental health and wellbeing for our community, recognise and address the stigma associated with mental health conditions, and show how wonderful recovery and working with lived experience can be,” Ms Davidson said.

“These awards are a symbol of our community’s appreciation of the dedicated efforts from individuals and organisations to improve the mental health and wellbeing of those living in the ACT.

“It has been a challenging few years for many members of our community, and it is truly re-energising to hear the stories of those who have gone above and beyond to foster connections and support those around them.”