Mental Health Advisory Group

Terms of Reference

Mental illness is a major public health problem in the general community with one in five Australians experiencing a mental disorder in any one year and 45% experiencing a mental illness during their lifetime. Many of these problems first emerge in young people.  Now, there is increasing recognition that mental health problems are particularly prevalent among university students with rates of mental illness higher among students than their peers outside the university system. Not only are mental illnesses among university students responsible for substantial personal distress and increased risk of suicide they can also significantly disrupt a student's academic progress and research output.  

Addressing these issues requires an all-of-university community response. Recognising this and the need to more systematically and effectively address the mental health problems on campus, the Advisory Group will:

• Identify key mental health issues in the ANU community.
• Identify proactive preventative initiatives.
• Priorities in mental health, both short and long-term.
• Review current policies and procedures for addressing mental health issues in the University.
• Make recommendations on the most effective means for considering mental health within the University governance structures.

The Advisory Group will report to the Student Experience Committee.