Beyondblue, Australia’s pre-eminent depression intitiative has been accused of ignoring the mental health needs of the GLBTI community.
Founded in 2000 and chaired by former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, beyondblue has consistently refused to release any of its funds to GLBTI projects.
When initially challenged over this anomaly, beyondblue claimed in its defence a lack of properly researched papers documenting a verifiable need.
Several community and academic sources disputed this, and after chairing a roundtable discussion in December with GLBTI community representatives, beyondblue issued a new set of guidelines for funding applications.
LGBT Health Alliance director Gabi Rosenstreich said the guidelines had ‘fallen well short’ and the alliance would make a formal submission for more inclusion.
‘We’re very disappointed’, she said. ‘There’s plenty of evidence of specific issues on sexuality, sex and gender diversity, and indeed beyondblue have themselves done a review of that research.’
‘Beyondblue need to be able to consult effectively with the LGBT sector when they’re actually developing guidelines,’ Rosenstreich said.
Only one study relating to gay and lesbian depression was included out of a reported 57,000 studies used to develop the new guidelines.
Speaking in December, beyondblue CEO Leonie Young attempted to placate community anger.
‘We know that in many cases depression and anxiety in same-sex attracted people may be preventable. They are always treatable and effective treatments are available. We want everyone who needs help for depression and related disorders to get appropriate help as early as possible.
‘beyondblue is committed to action, further research and materials to improve prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of depression and related disorders in the GLBTI community’, she said.
The beyondblue guidelines are open for public submissions until May 12.
Steven Carter
