Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing Community Forum 2019

On February 7, 2019 Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network is hosting a Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing Community Forum to:

• Provide information on accessing available Youth Mental Health Services in our region
• Highlight youth mental health issues amongst local young people
• Give an opportunity for young people to share their journeys with mental health
• Improve the health literacy and education within our community around youth mental health and wellbeing issues.

Q&A Panel

ABC journalist Dan Cox will host a Q&A panel that includes youth representatives headspace CEO, Jason Trethowan, and Orygen Executive Director, Professor Pat McGorry.

	Dan Cox | ABC Newcastle Born in Sydney and bred in Newcastle, Dan Cox started his journalism career delivering newspapers as a teenager. He grew up in a very medical family and became the ‘black sheep’ when he chose to study communications and marketing. Since then he’s worked in marketing and public relations, and in 2008 he took on a role with 1233 ABC Newcastle as a broadcast journalist.
	Jason Trethowan | CEO, headspace Jason has spent the bulk of his entire career in the health sector where he has been driven by a passion to improve health services and access for Australians. Before beginning at headspace he spent 18 months as CEO of the Western Victoria Primary Health Network. Jason is an active member of the Governing Council for the Australian Health & Hospital Association and the Mental Health Expert Taskforce.
	Professor Patrick McGorry AO | Executive Director, Orygen Professor Patrick McGorry is the Executive Director of Orygen - The National Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health, Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, and a Founding Director of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation (headspace). He is a world-leading researcher in the area of early psychosis and youth mental health, and has been directly involved in research and clinical care for homeless people, refugees and asylum seekers.
	Jaelea Skehan | Director, Everymind Jaelea Skehan is an internationally respected leader in the prevention of mental illness and the prevention of suicide. In 2014 Jaelea was announced as one of Australia's 100 Women of Influence, highlighting the important contribution women make in creating bold and diverse future for Australia. Born and raised in Newcastle, Jaelea has worked at Everymind since 2001, which she now leads as their first female Director.
	Marcus Weatherall Marcus Weatherall grew up in Walgett with strong family connections to Brewarrina and Goodooga. He has dedicated his time to working with young Aboriginal people as an Activities Officer for the Safe Aboriginal Youth program at PCYC Newcastle, and as an Aboriginal School Learning Support Officer at Hunter Sports High School.
	Dr Grant Blashki | Lead Clinical Advisor, Beyond Blue Dr Grant Blashki is an active public commentator, educator and researcher in primary mental health, including co-editor of five books with Future Leaders, an organisation dedicated to inspiring and nurturing young leaders. He is Health Ambassador for the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation. As an honorary professor and regular visitor in Shenzhen China, he is currently concerned how we could better support our numerous visiting international students to Australia.

You can submit a question below for the panel to be addressed on the night.

Register to attend via the link below with more information provided over the coming weeks.