It’s been a busy couple of months since our last newsletter.

Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW)

As this email reaches you, QMHW is already underway, running from 4–12 October. QMHW is an important chance for us to stop, reflect, connect and raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing, while helping to reduce stigma around mental health challenges. I really encourage you to consider how you can support this year’s QMHW, whether it’s attending a local event, sharing resources during the week or taking proactive steps to look after your wellbeing. I’ll be out and about during the week and look forward to connecting with many of you.

Annual report

We recently tabled our Annual Report 2024–25, highlighting record investment in prevention, the release of Thriving Lives, Connected Communities and The Queensland Trauma Strategy, and our position on supportive housing. These initiatives reflect our focus on prevention, lived experience, trauma-informed care and the social factors that shape mental health.

World Suicide Prevention Day

I’d also like to thank everyone who recently joined us for our World Suicide Prevention Day event earlier this month—an important chance to acknowledge people we have lost to suicide, and to commit to working together with urgency to prevent and reduce suicide.

At the event, we released the Suicide in Queensland Annual Report 2024. The report details the scale, circumstances and risk factors associated with suicide. This data is critical to our suicide prevention efforts, but it is also important to note that behind each number in this report is a life lost and a person loved, valued and missed.

Other activities

It’s wonderful to see Upbeat Arts bringing its psychosocial recovery program to the Gold Coast, with a new choir launching in Southport on 13 October to foster connection, confidence and wellbeing. For more information or to refer a client, please visit the website.

This past month, I've also been lucky to connect with academics, carers, youth school based nurses, LGBTQIA+ organisations and even media. Keep an eye on our socials for a snapshot of these events.

On a personal note, I got down to Sydney last minute for the NRL grand final, and had fun cheering the Broncos to victory with my son. But when we ordered our coffees the next morning, they served it to us on saucers—cause all the cups are in Queensland! I hope you enjoyed the long weekend doing something that brings you joy too.