Regional Australia has higher rates of self-harm than the cities. We need to address the problem

‘The mental health crisis in regional Australia is not only contributing to the loss of life, it also affects issues like housing, poverty, education, gendered violence and substance abuse.’ Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images

In 2023, Ballarat launched the Live4Life mental health education and youth suicide prevention program. It came in response to a spate of suicides that had taken place across the city, including 15-year-old Bridie Cocks and her boyfriend, Nick Watts, as well as teenager Rohan Cosgriff who was the victim of a sextortion scam.

Initially engaging more than 1,200 students across eight schools, the program involves a collective of secondary schools, health provider networks and community organisations and aims to train young people in mental health first aid. It’s just one example of an initiative in a regional area that has been born out of grief, but which is bringing together a variety of community leaders, individuals and professionals to combat an enduring crisis.