Young people living in regional and remote Australia are being let down by a lack of support services to tackle their mental health needs, a new report released by ReachOut and Mission Australia reveals.
"Lifting the weight: understanding young people’s mental health and service needs in regional and remote Australia", found almost one in four young people in regional and remote Australia had a probable serious mental illness.
While the prevalence of mental health disorders is similar for people living in and outside of a major city, research has shown the risk of suicide rises as distance from a major city increases.
The report has called for increased funding and support for schools to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people amongst a range of recommendations.
