Share your insights, research or case studies with mental health professionals and the frontline sector.
Connect with over 250 frontline workers and sector professionals before, during and after the conference.
Register your interest to attend and be the first to know when the registration ‘doors’ open.
It’s time to do things differently.
You know it, your leaders know it, the sector knows it.
We must collaborate to unlock the power of mentally healthy habits within the frontline sector.
Join us at the Frontline Mental Health Conference and unite to cultivate a mentally resilient workforce.
Together, we can shape a frontline sector that thrives.
More than one veteran dying by suicide each week.
From the the Australian National Police and Emergency Services Mental Health and Wellbeing Study, it was determined that 21% had high and 9% had very high psychological distress.
11% of Australian emergency workers have PTSD, compared to 4% of the general population.
Accessing mental health expertise was considered difficult by 89% of New Zealand police and 62% of ambulance staff.
Sources: 1. aihw.gov.au | 2. nih.gov.au | 3. eshealth.com.au | 4. wiley.com
Frontline workers are heroes of our community with specific and special requirements when it comes to psychological safety, seeking help when it’s needed and challenging systemic stigma, harassment and bullying.
At the Frontline Mental Health Conference you will discover research, innovations and treatment techniques from mental health experts, meet with fellow sector workers, hear from sector leaders and unite to improve the mental health care and wellbeing of first responders - during training, whilst serving and in post-service.
Let’s work together to minimise psychological hazards, tackle burnout and PTSD and release the stigma around asking for help.
A frontline sector which promotes mentally healthy habits = a mentally healthy frontline workforce.
Image credit: Fire Rescue Victoria
In 2024, our conference theme:
The Power of Collaboration: Working Together to Create Lasting Change
We will explore the topics:
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University
Dr Jacqueline Drew is an Associate Professor with the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University. Jacki has over 20 years of experience in law enforcement, as a practitioner and researcher. Jacki began her career in law enforcement with the Queensland Police Service (QPS). Jacki’s work focuses on police organisational practice and experiences of police personnel, specifically the areas of police mental health, suicide, police leadership, career paths of women police and recruitment and retention. Jacki has been awarded an Australian Research Council (Linkage) Grant, working with the Queensland Police Commissioner, to develop a workplace health and wellbeing early warning system to improve the mental health and wellbeing of police personnel. Jacki works internationally with law enforcement in the United States (US), she is a lead investigator on a national (US) biennial survey research program with the National Fraternal Order of Police focused on police wellbeing.
Director, CLET Training
Dr Kate Martin is the Director of CLET Training and has over 17 years experience working with former and current police, military and emergency services workers. With a background in law and raised in a police family, Kate completed her doctoral studies with Charles Sturt University in 2020 having researched the transition processes for first responders and how this impacts their post service employment satisfaction. In her pursuit of answers for the challenges faced by service personnel Kate holds 11 higher education qualifications including a Master of Disaster and Emergency Response from Edith Cowan University, a Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Psychological Science from Swinburne University.
Kate’s work with CLET Training directly applies evidence-based research to support police, military and emergency services, and more recently corrections, personnel in understanding their reality, both in and out of the job, and to help with the transition process, when it occurs. Acknowledging that physical and mental health injuries are only part of the challenge faced by this group, Kate’s work has a direct focus on the diverse and complex nature of the service-based experiences and seeks to offer an informed approach to pave the way both within and without service.
Chair of Trauma & Mental Health, UNSW & St John of God Health Care
Prof Zachary Steel holds the St John of God Chair of Trauma and Mental Health a partnership between Richmond and Burwood Hospital in NSW and the School of Psychiatry UNSW. He has a 30 year history of work with populations affected by trauma, including veterans, emergency service workers. refugees, asylum seekers as well as those affected by mass conflict. He is the immediate past president of the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (2019-2021) and sits on the Board for the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS).
Department of Defence
Dr Nikki Jamieson is a suicidologist, author, researcher and AASW registered social worker in Australia. Nikki’s interest in military suicide and moral injury, was born from lived experience and has led to pioneering research on moral injury and suicide, several publications, a book and national and international keynotes and workshops.
Nikki is an established leader in suicide prevention and moral injury, and has worked strategically within suicide prevention across a range of government departments including DVA, Health, Education and more recently for the Department of Defence where she currently holds a key role in suicide prevention.
Department of Defence
CAPT Malcolm Roberts is in his 20th year in the Australian Army. In 2009/10 he deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Slipper as a company medic. It was during this deployment that he encountered a number of traumatic incidents including the death of a fellow soldier. CAPT Roberts continued his career in Army and in 2013 he completed his Bachelor of Nursing, commissioning as a Nursing Officer. It wasn’t until 10 years after his deployment that CAPT Roberts was diagnosed with PTSD. Since then he has had to navigate the challenges of maintaining a fulltime career in Defence with his recovery.
CAPT Roberts is a firm believer in the benefits of Lived Experience and finding purpose as a way of navigating the challenges of PTSD. He continues to deliver his Lived Experience talks to Defence members and advocates for destigmatising Mental Health in Defence and the wider community. CAPT Roberts is posted to HQ 2nd Health Brigade as the Long Term Schooling Manager for SE Qld, NSW & ACT. He is married to his ever patient wife Rachael and between them have four amazing children.
UNSW
Bio coming soon.
Principal Veterans’ Chaplain, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Bio coming soon.
The delegates for the Frontline Mental Health Conference are varied across emergency services, defence, community, government, mental and allied health as well as business. Typically, we see:
Yes! The Frontline Mental Health Conference is for you if you’re looking for:
A space for safe, open and connected conversations around the mental health of all first responders and frontline workers at all stages of their career. | |
Application based presentations to leave you with practical tools to create immediate and positive changes. | |
Networking with like-minded sector professionals to discover best practice solutions. | |
Inspiration from current research, top professionals and community leaders in the frontline sector. | |
A platform to share your own stories, research, programs and case studies with your community. | |
Time away from your every-day to connect with your peers and get your fingers on the information which will help you succeed in your role. |
FMHC will explore the theme: “The Power of Collaboration: Working Together to Create Lasting Change”.
As a presenter you will share your latest research, findings, ideas and insights with the frontline mental health community.
This is your chance to lend your voice to the current challenges faced by the sector and provide real-world case studies, solutions and new approaches to creating safe, thriving frontline workplaces and communities.
This opportunity comes up once a year so please take this as your moment to apply to present now.
Partner with FMHC24 and connect with 250+ frontline and emergency workers, leaders and mental health professionals.
Introduce delegates to the research, programs, services and initiatives which can help improve the mental health care and wellbeing of first responders during training, whilst serving and in post-service.
Our team can assist in creating custom partnership packages designed for your specific goals, so reach out today.
The 2024 Frontline Mental Health Conference will be held at the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, QLD.
Room with Breakfast for up to two people - $370