We know how vital research can be in the fight against mental illness, but it doesn’t come cheap.
The Australian Foundation for Mental Health Research (AFFIRM) has joined forces with the Society for Mental Health Research (SMHR) to encourage early career mental health researchers.
“AFFIRM is committed to funding innovative research in mental health in Australia, and is proud to add $40,000 to the $300,000 raised by the Society for Mental Health Research in 2015 to support the best and brightest new talent in mental health research over the next 12 months,” says AFFIRM’s Deputy Director Virginia Hansen.
The SMHR’s President, and former Australian of the Year, Professor Patrick McGorry says it’s an exciting partnership.
“We are grateful to AFFIRM, and the general public, for their generous support of mental health research,” he says. “In particular, we are excited about what can be achieved when key organisations within the mental health sector unite to promote mental health research in this country.”
The partnership will see project grant funding awarded to 16 early career researchers in 2016 who are engaged in research either in Universities, Research Institutes, or in Clinical Services.
“SMHR is committed to supporting research that is clinical and translational in nature,” says Professor McGorry, “This will provide faster access to evidence-based mental health treatments to Australians in need, and fill a real gap in current research funding initiatives.”
Applications are now invited from early career mental health researchers across Australia for support via the SMHR Early Career Awards. The purpose of the Award is to facilitate mental health researchers, in the early stages of their research career, to gain competitive seed funding to carry out their cutting edge mental health research projects over the next 12 months.
