St Vincent’s welcomes the Australian Government’s announcement that its digital mental health treatment service, THIS WAY UP, will receive $7.3 million in funding over three years. This funding will sustain and expand the platform’s innovative work in delivering accessible, high-quality online mental health treatment to Australians nationwide.

A portion of the funding will enable the development of a world-first multilingual digital mental health service, specifically designed to reduce mental distress and support culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

In collaboration with Mental Health Australia’s Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project, THIS WAY UP will translate, culturally adapt, and tailor its treatment programs and resources to ensure that non-English-speaking Australians have equitable access to effective mental health care.

THIS WAY UP’s Director, Dr Mike Millard, said the funding was an important investment by the government in the service’s work and outcomes.

“THIS WAY UP is one of Australia's largest and longest-standing digital mental health platforms. We are proud to have provided mental health treatment to around 300,000 Australians in need and to be trusted by a community of 38,000 clinicians right across this nation. That’s one-third of all GPs, psychiatrists and psychologists who are using THIS WAY UP in their routine care,” said Dr Millard.

“Today’s funding announcement is further endorsement of THIS WAY UP’s important role in supporting and helping Australians with their mental health.

“Innovative treatment, like THIS WAY UP, plays a crucial role in Australia’s mental health system. They provide treatment – prior to, or alongside, medication and face-to-face therapy – and help prevent the escalation of more serious mental health issues. That’s never been more important.

“THIS WAY UP also offers Australians in regional and remote parts of the country the high-quality mental health treatment they might not be able to access face-to-face.

“What sets THIS WAY UP apart is that it we are a service developed by frontline clinicians in collaboration with consumers and people with lived experience. We also backed by more than 120 scientific publications. As a result, we’re proud to deliver evidence-based, accessible mental health support that meets people’s real needs.”

Carolyn Nikoloski, CEO of Mental Health Australia, said the prevalence of mental health conditions was 1.5 times higher in people who didn’t speak English well and was four times higher among people who arrived in Australia more than 15 years ago, compared to five years ago.

“People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will benefit enormously from THIS WAY UP’s programs being translated into other languages and adapted for other ethnicities,” said Carolyn.

“Multicultural communities experience multilevel issues and barriers to mental health support, including cultural stigma, low mental health literacy, language barriers, Medicare ineligibility, healthcare costs, lack of culturally appropriate support, and difficulties navigating the mental health system,” said Carolyn.

“The investment from the Australian Government to expand THIS WAY UP to better support multicultural communities, in partnership with Mental Health Australia’s Embrace Project, is a key opportunity to ensure that all people in Australia can get the mental health support they need.”

Media contact: Paul Andrews 0409 665 495