Deadline: 31-Jul-2026
The Australian Mental Health Prize is now accepting nominations to recognise individuals and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to mental health in Australia. The Prize honours leadership, advocacy, research, care, lived experience, community impact, and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander contributions to mental health and wellbeing. Nominations are encouraged from across Australia, including rural and remote communities.
Overview
The Australian Mental Health Prize recognises individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to mental health in Australia.
The Prize celebrates work that improves mental health outcomes, strengthens public understanding, supports care, advances research, and promotes wellbeing.
It is delivered through a collaboration between UNSW Psychiatry & Mental Health, the Black Dog Institute, and Neuroscience Research Australia.
Purpose of the Prize
The purpose of the Australian Mental Health Prize is to acknowledge outstanding contributions to mental health across Australia.
The Prize highlights people and organisations working to improve mental health through leadership, advocacy, research, care, community action, and lived experience.
It also aims to ensure that diverse contributions are recognised, including work from rural, remote, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, professional, and community-based settings.
Key Focus Areas
The Prize focuses on mental health leadership, advocacy, research, care, lived experience, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contributions, community mental health, mental health awareness, wellbeing, public impact, rural and remote mental health, and recognition of individuals and organisations working to improve mental health across Australia.
Award Categories
The Australian Mental Health Prize includes four award categories.
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
This category recognises outstanding contributions by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander individuals or organisations working to improve mental health and wellbeing.
Lived Experience
This category recognises individuals or organisations whose work is shaped by lived experience and contributes meaningfully to mental health awareness, support, advocacy, or care.
Professional
This category recognises professionals who have made significant contributions to mental health through research, clinical care, policy, leadership, service delivery, or innovation.
Community Hero
This category recognises individuals or organisations making a strong community-level contribution to mental health and wellbeing.
What the Prize Recognises
The Prize recognises impactful mental health contributions across Australia.
Recognised contributions may include:
- Mental health leadership
- Advocacy for better mental health outcomes
- Research that improves understanding or practice
- Care and support for people experiencing mental health challenges
- Community-based mental health initiatives
- Lived experience leadership
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health work
- Rural and remote mental health contributions
- Public education and awareness
- Work that improves wellbeing and reduces stigma
Who Can Be Nominated?
Individuals and organisations may be nominated for the Prize.
Nominees should have made significant contributions to mental health in Australia.
Contributions may come from professional, community, research, advocacy, care, lived experience, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts.
Who Can Submit a Nomination?
Anyone may nominate an individual or organisation that has made an important contribution to mental health in Australia.
Nominators should provide clear information about the nominee’s work, impact, and relevance to the selected award category.
Regional and Community Representation
Nominations are encouraged from all regions of Australia.
This includes rural and remote communities, where mental health contributions may be locally significant and deeply impactful.
The Prize aims to reflect the diversity of mental health leadership and community action across the country.
Why It Matters
Mental health is a major public wellbeing issue that affects individuals, families, communities, workplaces, and health systems.
Across Australia, many people and organisations are working to improve awareness, care, support, research, advocacy, and access to services.
The Australian Mental Health Prize matters because it brings national recognition to this work and helps highlight contributions that may inspire further action, collaboration, and innovation in mental health.
How to Nominate
Nominators should prepare a clear nomination that explains the nominee’s contribution, impact, and relevance to mental health in Australia.
Step 1: Choose the Right Category
Select the award category that best matches the nominee’s contribution.
The categories are:
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
- Lived Experience
- Professional
- Community Hero
Step 2: Describe the Nominee’s Contribution
The nomination should explain what the individual or organisation has done to improve mental health.
This may include work in leadership, advocacy, research, care, community support, lived experience, awareness, or service delivery.
Step 3: Explain the Impact
A strong nomination should show how the nominee’s work has made a difference.
Impact may include:
- Improved mental health awareness
- Better access to support
- Stronger care practices
- Reduced stigma
- Community wellbeing improvements
- Research influence
- Policy or service improvements
- Support for underserved communities
- Inspiration for others
Step 4: Highlight the Australian Context
The nomination should clearly connect the nominee’s contribution to mental health in Australia.
If the work supports rural, remote, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, or community-based populations, this should be clearly explained.
Step 5: Submit the Nomination
Submit the completed nomination with all required information about the nominee, their work, selected category, and contribution to mental health.
The nomination should be clear, specific, and focused on evidence of impact.
Selection Considerations
Nominations are likely to be assessed based on contribution, impact, relevance, and alignment with the award category.
Key considerations may include:
- Strength of contribution to mental health
- Demonstrated leadership or advocacy
- Impact on individuals, communities, systems, or research
- Relevance to the selected award category
- Contribution to care, wellbeing, or awareness
- Representation of diverse communities
- Significance of work in Australia
- Evidence of commitment and influence
Tips for a Strong Nomination
A strong nomination should clearly explain why the nominee deserves recognition.
Nominators should:
- Choose the most appropriate category
- Use clear examples of the nominee’s work
- Focus on measurable or visible impact
- Explain how the work improves mental health
- Highlight leadership, advocacy, research, care, or lived experience
- Include community impact where relevant
- Recognise rural or remote contributions if applicable
- Avoid vague statements without examples
- Show why the contribution is significant in Australia
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common mistakes include:
- Selecting the wrong award category
- Giving only a general description of the nominee
- Not explaining the mental health impact
- Missing evidence of contribution
- Failing to connect the work to Australia
- Overlooking community-level achievements
- Providing unclear or incomplete nomination details
- Not explaining why the nominee’s work is outstanding
- Ignoring lived experience or community leadership where relevant
FAQ
1. What is the Australian Mental Health Prize?
The Australian Mental Health Prize recognises individuals and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to mental health in Australia.
2. Who delivers the Prize?
The Prize is delivered through a collaboration between UNSW Psychiatry & Mental Health, the Black Dog Institute, and Neuroscience Research Australia.
3. What are the award categories?
The four award categories are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Lived Experience, Professional, and Community Hero.
4. Who can be nominated?
Individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to mental health in Australia can be nominated.
5. Who can submit a nomination?
Anyone may nominate an individual or organisation that deserves recognition for mental health contributions in Australia.
6. Are rural and remote nominations encouraged?
Yes. Nominations are encouraged from all regions of Australia, including rural and remote communities.
7. What types of contributions are recognised?
The Prize recognises contributions through leadership, advocacy, research, care, lived experience, community action, and work that improves mental health and wellbeing.
Conclusion
The Australian Mental Health Prize celebrates individuals and organisations making outstanding contributions to mental health across Australia. Through its four categories, the Prize recognises leadership, advocacy, research, care, lived experience, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contributions, and community impact. Nominators should submit clear and compelling nominations that demonstrate how the nominee’s work has improved mental health, wellbeing, awareness, or support for people and communities in Australia.
For more information, visit UNSW.