The National Rugby League's State of Mind Program will be made available to Western Australia's 4,000 local rugby league players to destigmatise mental health issues and encourage young men and women to improve their mental health.
The program aims to give the community tools and strategies to manage mental health, increase social support for young people and their families, and provide links to support services. The program includes educating senior players, coaches and staff on mental wellbeing, connecting support services to clubs and identifying actions to support mental health in clubs. Expanding prevention programs aimed at reducing mental illness in young people is a key strategy outlined in the Western Australian Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services Plan 2015-2025. This program builds on similar efforts made by the Mental Health Commission with AFL and netball in previous years. NL Ambassador Clinton Toopi said the program was helping local rugby league clubs across Australia and New Zealand to educate their players and members on signs and symptoms of mental illness and how best to connect with local service providers. For more information, visit http://www.nrlstateofmind.com.au/ Comments attributed to Mental Health Minister Roger Cook: "This program will help to give young people the tools and strategies they need to understand and acknowledge mental health, and mental illness, and to know what to do if they, or someone they know, needs help. "Young people experience the highest prevalence and incidence for mental illness across the lifespan, so it is critical we give them support and information early. "Grassroots sporting and community organisations can play an important role in helping communities to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, and I thank the NRL for their support." |
|