Mental illness and wellbeing concerns are among the fastest growing health problems nationwide. Menzies addresses these challenges by empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through strengths-based research approaches.

Menzies’ projects focus on identifying problems early, and then developing tools to help communities and individuals to stay strong – socially, spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

We are proud to confirm that the Stay Strong, Weathering Well and AIMhi-Y apps are accredited against the NSQDMH standards

Our research focus:

• To communicate 'two-way' mental health messages and to discover ways to overcome language and literacy barriers.
• To address mental health literacy needs in remote and urban settings for primary care and specialist services.
• To develop the skills of Indigenous researchers and to conduct research that provides practical and culturally appropriate early intervention and treatment.

Our research impact:

• Our program of research – the Aboriginal and Islander Mental health initiative (AIMhi) – has given Indigenous service providers and communities a range of tools to better recognise and manage the problems causing mental illness, such as social issues, work worries and family stress.
• The AIMhi Stay Strong Plan and other AIMhi resources have been developed and continue to be used in a diverse range of services across the country. The AIMhi resources promote integrated care and are used in mental health, substance use, youth, primary care, perinatal and chronic disease services.
• Our AIMhi Stay Strong App is one of very few e-mental health resources designed to meet the needs of Indigenous Australians and is supported by the Australian Government’s e-Mental Health Strategy.
• Many health professionals, community workers and service providers have been trained in different settings to use the AIMhi approach through  the training programs and materials that we have developed.
• AIMhi has explored and supported new approaches to care for people with alcohol related injuries in hospital.
• AIMhi has collaborated with the ABCD partnership and One21seventy to develop primary care tools and training that support best practice in early intervention in mental health and youth health.