Jane is Chair of the Australian Rotary Health Committee and Unit Head of The Mental Health Policy and Practice Unit at Melbourne University.
This Unit aims to influence policy and practice in Australia and overseas and is well known for its evaluations of large-scale mental health programs, and its studies of more specific interventions.
It has a particular focus on suicide and has undertaken a range of epidemiological studies of patterns of suicidal behaviour (e.g., examining suicide clusters and 'hotspots') and tested novel suicide prevention solutions. Jane has worked with the Unit to pioneer research on the media’s influence on suicidal behaviour, beginning by examining the negative impacts of irresponsible reporting of suicide, and more recently shifting attention to examining ways in which the media – in all its forms – can be used as a force for good in suicide prevention.
Jane will discuss how Australian Rotary Health funding has assisted in suicide prevention.
