In late 2021, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia launched the Beyond Urgent: National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2021 - 2026. This presentation will discuss the strategic goals and actions required to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTIQ+ people. Speakers include Lynn Jarvis (Working it Out - Tasmania), Fi Paskulich (Twenty10), James Zanotto (LGBTIQ+ Health Australia), Samina Hassan (Switchboard) and Samara Shehata (ACON). 

Target audience: LGBTIQ+ Health Australia members, broader suicide prevention sector professionals

The four goals of the Strategy are:

1. Preventive action and early intervention to reducing the rate of psychological distress and suicidality among LGBTIQ+ communities caused by stigma, discrimination and other body, gender and sexuality shaming.
2. Increased access to safe and inclusive mental health care through investment in LGBTIQ+ specialist and inclusive care, including peer support, while strengthening systems to deliver safe and effective mainstream services.
3. Empowerment to improve wellbeing for LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Sistergirls and Brotherboys, with an onus on all mental health services to be culturally safe and support initiatives that strengthen healing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
4. Reform to deliver effective responses to LGBTIQ+ mental health and suicidality through improved governance in collaboration with LGBTIQ+ communities, sustainable resourcing, accurate and timely data, and development of more evidence-based strategies