Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education announced on Tuesday its research team has been awarded its first-ever Medical Research Future Fund grant, securing $992,379.21 over two years to lead research into suicide prevention and postvention in First Nations communities across Central Australia.
Batchelor Institute said the achievement underscores their "commitment to delivering transformative education and research that privileges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and responds to community needs".
Led by Dr Judith Lovell, Academic Program Leader at Batchelor Institute's Graduate School, and supported by A/Professor Kathryn Gilbey, the project titled 'Community Participatory Research for Postvention in Central Australia' will focus on reducing the high suicide rates in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and Mount Isa.
These communities, which experience suicide rates five times the national average, have in common strong kinship ties and shared cultural strengths; elements the research aims to harness to create sustainable change for the better.
The two-year study, funded under the 2024 MRFF Mental Health Research Stream 3 (Topic B), aims to generate new knowledge on optimal suicide postvention strategies; interventions designed to support those at risk following a suicide.
By employing a "collaborative, community-driven approach", the research team will work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to map cultural, community, and clinical assets, integrate traditional healing practices, and strengthen culturally responsive healthcare.
The intended result is the creation of a "place-based, strength-based model of postvention" to mitigate the devastating impact of suicide and suicide clusters on individuals, families, and communities.
"This funding is a testament to the power of Indigenous-led research and the trust placed in our team to tackle a critical health challenge in Central Australia," said Dr Lovell.
"By working with communities to centre the wisdom of Elders, their rich diversity, and the strength of their culture, we're building a response that heals and endures."
Professor Kathryn Gilbey, a proud Alyawarre woman with deep ties to the study region, said it was "a historic moment for Batchelor Institute and a vital step towards reducing the burden of suicide in Central Australia. Our approach respects and elevates First Nations voices, ensuring solutions come from within our communities".
The research team brings together a wealth of expertise, including Associate Professor Michael Halloran (La Trobe University), Professor Tracey Bunda (The University of Queensland), Theresa Alice, Erin Reilly, and Lukas Williams, alongside community collaborators, clinical and cultural experts.
Their collective efforts will focus on fostering innovation that can be sustained as "wraparound responses—holistic, ongoing support systems tailored to the unique needs of these communities".
Batchelor Institute congratulated Dr Lovell, Professor Gilbey, and the entire research team on the "significant achievement".
