UNE 'virtual institute' to study solutions for mental effects of bushfire, drought

A new mental health research institute will aim to study how to prevent that ever happening again.

It takes, on average, between 12 and 17 years for a good idea to leave the academy and see use in the real world, according to University of New England Professor Myfanwy Maple.

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She said the new UNE institute, a partnership between community and the universities, will help communities access and use the data derived from their experience.

The evidence will help inform the region's mental health response to the next bushfire or drought crisis.

"[We will be] looking at preparedness in communities and looking at where there might be more vulnerability. We always have a continuum of people in any community where some people are more resilient, right through to people who are much more vulnerable," she said.

"Next time an event like that happened, a community would have a better sense of who would be more likely to be more vulnerable to this event and who would be more resilient.

"And how do we work out what worked for those people when and how so that can help inform the next time something happens and the community can build its own resilience."

Tamworth Mental Health Carers' Support Group member, Di Wyatt, said the institute sounded like a helpful idea.

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"We've only had more members since the end of last year. With COVID, it's probably doubled," she said.

She said that droughts and bushfires definitely put pressure on people's mental health.

Mrs Wyatt said she would be keen to participate in the research process.

The New England North West will be at the heart of the new institution, which will also include Charles Sturt University, Central Queensland University, Federation University, Southern Cross University, University of Southern Queensland, University of Sunshine Coast.

Research will be conducted across all universities, as part of a "virtual institute", using their own unique strengths to create an institute with more firepower than the sum of its parts.

The Regional Australia Mental Health Research and Training Institute has been funded by a $3.66 million Commonwealth grant for three years.

Professor Maple said the fund is a "substantial investment in regional Australia".

People in regional Australia endure poorer mental health than their metropolitan counterparts due to a variety of factors, such as lower income, poor access to healthcare, and other vital services, she said.

Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said the federal funding will "literally save lives".

"By conducting this vital research here in New England, we ensure that the new findings and skills developed by researchers will directly benefit our community," he said.

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