Alice Springs – More Than Bad Media. Mental Health in a Remote Context
Tracks
Harbour View 1 - In-Person Only
| Thursday, November 6, 2025 |
| 2:00 PM - 2:20 PM |
Overview
Nicole Pietsch and Josefina Olmedo, Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA)
Presenter
Josefina Olmedo
Marketing Officer
Mental Health Association of Central Australia
Alice Springs – More Than Bad Media. Mental Health in a Remote Context
Presentation Overview
Mental health service provision in the Northern Territory comes with some unique challenges and opportunities. Unfortunately the Northern Territory has the highest rate of deaths from suicide in Australia, including the highest rate of suicide by children. Factors that influence this include remoteness of the population, lack of culturally appropriate and accessible services and prevalence of at-risk individuals and communities. Whilst remote mental health service delivery can be challenging, there are strong Aboriginal Community controlled and community led organisations delivering critical services, working in partnership with Government and national agencies. Despite recent media portrayals, Alice Springs is a vibrant cultural community with many people committed to supporting community wellbeing. There are a number of impactful programs and initiatives, including a suicide prevention network that has been in running in some form since 1999 – a great example of the local collective commitment. Learn more about mental health services, suicide prevention and postvention initiatives in remote Australia, and what best practice might look like in this context.
Biography
Josefina Olmedo is the Marketing Officer at the Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA). She has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing. She has worked in communications, community engagement, and health promotion for the last 8 years in Argentina and in Central Australia. Josefina is passionate about promoting healthier lifestyles that can impact people’s wellbeing. She currently coordinates the Alice Springs Mental Health Interagency Network.
Ms Nicole Pietsch
CEO & Suicide Prevention Lead
Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA)
Alice Springs – More Than Bad Media. Mental Health in a Remote Context
Presentation Overview
Mental health service provision in the Northern Territory comes with some unique challenges and opportunities. Unfortunately the Northern Territory has the highest rate of deaths from suicide in Australia, including the highest rate of suicide by children. Factors that influence this include remoteness of the population, lack of culturally appropriate and accessible services and prevalence of at-risk individuals and communities. Whilst remote mental health service delivery can be challenging, there are strong Aboriginal Community controlled and community led organisations delivering critical services, working in partnership with Government and national agencies. Despite recent media portrayals, Alice Springs is a vibrant cultural community with many people committed to supporting community wellbeing. There are a number of impactful programs and initiatives, including a suicide prevention network that has been in running in some form since 1999 – a great example of the local collective commitment. Learn more about mental health services, suicide prevention and postvention initiatives in remote Australia, and what best practice might look like in this context.
Biography
Nicole Pietsch is the CEO & Suicide Prevention Lead and Senior Manager Health Promotion and Quality at the Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA). She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Communications Studies) and Certificate 4 Community Services. She has more than 25 years’ experience in communications, community engagement, and health promotion plus an evolving interest in quality improvement in service delivery. She is currently the Chair of the Suicide Prevention Australia Northern Territory Committee and convenes the Central Australia Life Promotion Network.
