Media portrayals of mental illness and mental health can have a significant impact on community perceptions of mental illness and can assist in breaking down the stigma that can be associated with mental illness.
This page provides information for media and communications organisations reporting on mental illness.
Recent Media Alerts from the mental health sector
Transcultural Mental Health Centre
For media enquiries regarding the Transcultural Mental Health Centre please contact the Western Sydney Local Health District Corporate Communications Team.
MindFrame
The Mindframe National Media Initiative provides evidence-based information to support the reporting, portrayal and communication about suicide and mental illness. Resources are available from the Mindframe website.
Mindframe - Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities
Mindframe reminder for responsible reporting on the Christchurch shooting (PDF 653KB)
The risks of linking extremist behaviour and mental illness - Joint Statement Mindframe & StigmaWatch (PDF 368KB)
National Communications Charter
Developed by Everymind through its Life in Mind program, the National communications charter (the Charter) is an evidence-informed document to help guide the way mental health and suicide prevention sectors, governments, businesses, communities and individuals communicate about mental health and wellbeing, mental health concerns and suicide.
The Charter guides a united approach to the way we communicate about mental health concerns and suicide. Through a shared commitment and combined actions, we can work together to reduce stigma and discrimination, and communicate in ways that are safe, inclusive and hopeful.
Signing the Charter serves as a formal commitment to use safe and consistent communication about mental health and wellbeing, mental health concerns and suicide. It is an agreement to put the guiding seven principles into practice to reduce stigma, minimise harm and promote help-seeking and help offering.
Find out more about the Charter here.
Articles of interest
The role of language in suicide reporting: Investigating the influence of problematic suicide referents
By Florian Arendt & Sebastian Scherr et al; Social Science and Medicine. 3 May 2018
Why reporting on refugee crises requires empathy for mental health issues
By Marc Herman, Columbia Journalism Review. July 6, 2016
Reaching Culturally Diverse Populations
