Mind Australia congratulates Dr Louise Byrne, who has been awarded the Australian Mental Health Prize 2024, in the Lived Experience category.
The Australian Mental Health Prize was established in 2016 by the University of NSW. Each year the prestigious award recognises Australians who have made outstanding contributions to mental health advocacy, research, and service provision.
Mind is fortunate to have a close partnership with Louise and we enthusiastically nominated her for this award.
Louise is Director of Lived Experience Training (.org) and a Senior Research Fellow at RMIT who is recognised internationally as a thought leader in lived experience workforce development. She has demonstrated tireless commitment to driving the influence, evidence and understanding of lived experience workforces in Australia. Her work is thorough, broad and of critical relevance to reform and innovation in mental health understanding and support.
Louise was a Lived Experience Executive Advisor to Mind for two years, providing exceptional support as we established our dedicated Lived Experience division. This division has been established to drive the transformation to a lived experience and lived expertise led mental health system in Australia. Dr Byrne has been instrumental in helping Mind develop and implement its Lived Experience Workforce Plan and Strategy.
Louise’s thought leadership, academic rigour and deep sense of commitment to change have ensured she has been one of the most important voices and contributors in mental health reform over the last 15 years.
“Louise’s work is recognised both nationally and internationally and shapes the national perspective on lived experience work as a respected, evidence-based discipline,” Mind Australia CEO Gill Callister said, in nominating Dr Byrne.
“Her work allows lived experience perspectives to more meaningfully contribute to the awareness, prevention and support approaches for mental health in Australia.”
Find out more about Dr Louise Byrne’s contribution to Mind and lived experience leadership
Dr Byrne was one of four award recipients – full details here
Pictured from left in banner at the top of the page: Mind Executive Director Katie Larsen, Dr Louise Byrne and Mind Board Director Jeremy Coggin. Image credit: Maja Baskja.