Professor Reg Nixon from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work has won a $500,000 grant from Movember and The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to support first responders’ mental health with evidence-based interventions. The grant is part of a new mental health funding program from Movember and The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to support veterans and first responders, as well as their families, across a number of countries. Professor Nixon’s project was one of 147 proposals submitted from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and the United States.

The project, “Protecting Emergency Responders with Evidence-Based Interventions (PEREI)” will deliver a wellbeing and resilience program to South Australian first responders, and will involve a wellbeing ‘coach’ who will check in with the individual regularly during the program to boost their support. An adapted version of an existing wellbeing program (the Be Well Plan) for members’ significant others will run parallel to the main program. The project will also assist supervisors with ways to promote good mental health, and identify and support members who may have mental health challenges.

Professor Nixon says that he and his team are thrilled with being awarded the grant, and hope to be able to help our frontline heroes and their families.

“The team are very excited to receive this grant and are extremely grateful for the support of Movember. We also appreciate the financial contributions from Breakthrough and Flinders that will enhance the project,” says Professor Nixon.

“Most importantly, we are excited to be able to offer the resilience and wellbeing programs to not only the first responders who face unbelievably stressful situations day in and out, but also to their loved ones who support them. We know that mental health issues are a very real risk for our first responses due to the nature of their work.”

Professor Nixon leads the project, in conjunction with international (Professor Jennifer Wild, Oxford University) and local research collaborators (Dr Dan Fassnacht, Flinders University; Mr. Joep van Agteren, Wellbeing and Resilience Centre at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute), and with partners from the South Australian Police (SAPOL) and the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS).

John Mannion, Executive Director of Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to tackling mental health head on, says the project will help first responders with the unique situations they often face.

“The situations and trauma that first responders and veterans have seen are not things the general population is faced with and the mental health implications are very real, even years later,” says Mr Mannion.

“It’s not just for first responders and veterans, but for their families as well. That’s why it’s vitally important that research is conducted to understand how these traumatic situations impact daily lives.

“We’re thrilled to have worked so closely with Professor Nixon in securing this grant from Movember and The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and look forward to the project improving the mental health of those that support us in our most vulnerable situations.”

The team aims to start the programs in 2022.

“We hope that offering these programs to both first responders and their loved ones will minimise the risk of mental health problems for members, and lead to a better quality of life for all involved,” says Professor Nixon.