On Monday, Hon Lauren Moss MLA, Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention hosted a Mental Health Week launch and awards ceremony at Parliament House with Mr Joel Bowden, MLA for Johnston, presenting the awards on her behalf. Geoff Radford, CEO for the Northern Territory Mental Health Coalition MC’d the event, which was attended by community members, staff and leaders from the community mental health sector, various dignitaries and community Elders.
The ceremony was held in celebration and acknowledgement of the exceptional and inspiring contributions of individuals and teams in helping to improve the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Territorians.
Anne Gawen, Chair of the NT Mental Health Coalition board, spoke at the event, and emphasized the importance of community mental health services and the voice of lived experience as central in supporting better mental health outcomes for Territorians.
This year’s 28 nominees represented a broad range of categories, organisations, programs and locations throughout the Territory including from remote communities.
We would like to congratulate all the nominees, and the winners of this year’s NT Mental Health Awards. We acknowledge their hard work, compassion, expertise, and dedication in supporting mental health and wellbeing in communities throughout the Territory.
Award winners
Malia Ford – Leadership in Lived Experience Award
Leila Heinrich – Young Person Award
John Yusuf – Carers in Mental Health Award
Joan Dhamarrandji – Mental Health Sector Award
Minitja Marawili – Aboriginal Social & Emotional Wellbeing Award
Mary Ingrames – Innovation for Positive Change Award
“As the community mental health peak body, we will work to elevate Mental Health Week and the NT Mental Health Awards so that everyone throughout the Territory feels empowered to participate and to celebrate the outstanding work in mental health and wellbeing taking place in communities throughout the NT,” Geoff Radford said.
With so many challenges in our communities, we think it is important to take time to focus on all the good things that continue to happen day in day out, often without being noticed. In the coming weeks we will be profiling award winners on our Facebook page.
You can see the highlights of the launch and awards as well as other events happening throughout Mental Health Week on our Facebook page and on our website.
We would like to extend a big thanks to our sponsors, Bendigo Bank Nightcliff, Community Business Bureau, Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch of the NT Government Department of Health, and the NT Primary Health Network.
Media contact
Geoff Radford
CEO Northern Territory Mental Health Coalition