In 2022, the Sunlight Centre commissioned the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University to undertake a study of the mental health needs and concerns of the Brisbane community to help shape and promote the services provided by the Centre. Three objectives were to be addressed: 1. Collect information on and explore the mental health needs, concerns, and priorities of the local community (defined as Greater Brisbane). 2. Better understand what encourages and leads individuals to seek out help when they are self-harming or suicidal. 3. Advise the Board of The Sunlight Centre regarding what the above suggest about how the Centre should shape its services and promote them in their local community. A mixed methods approach was applied, comprising a Data Snapshot summary, a Focus Group study, and an Online Survey. All research has received ethical approval from the Griffith University Human Ethics Research Committee (Ref No: 2022/494). Preliminary results of each of the studies were presented in-person to members of the Sunlight Centre board and their valuable feedback has been incorporated into this report. Below is a general summary of the findings from the three studies and recommendations based on the evidence obtained. • Consistent with Australian data and other that of other high-income countries, Queensland suicide and self-harm data show a ‘gender paradox’, where males are more likely to die by suicide than females, but females are more likely to be hospitalised for self-harm and suicide attempts. There is a clear opportunity to provide intervention for young females experiencing self-harm in greater Brisbane. • The key areas of concern regarding mental health for greater Brisbane focus group participants were the safety of at-risk groups (youth, males, veterans, the elderly); accessibility of mental health services (particularly the issues of costs, waiting lists, and the need for referrals and mental health plans); roadblocks to accessing help; authenticity of mental health services; help for families and friends; and the need for human connection. • There were relatively high levels of suicidality in the sample of online survey participants (although this is likely to be impacted by response bias). Only about 18% of those who reported suicidal behaviours had sought help. Young people are one of the most vulnerable groups. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were higher among this group, despite having less positive attitudes and the least experience of help-seeking. • The main barriers to help-seeking were costs and difficulties finding appropriate services. The highest-rated enablers to seeking help were the service being cheap or free, private, not requiring referrals, having a website that provides detailed information on what to expect, and having an online booking function. • Issues identified as being important regarding formal and informal help services were being empathetic and welcoming, confidential, tailored and reliable, expertise and credibility of the mental health professional, being accessible, and the client feeling empowered and having control over how they receive help. In terms of preferred methods for professional help sources to communicate their services, participants highlighted social media, the internet and technology, authenticity, face to face and via recommendation (formal and informal). These results from these combined studies provide important evidence regarding the mental health support needs, concerns and priorities of the greater Brisbane community. These valuable insights have strategic implications for informing and shaping the support services of the Sunlight Centre and promoting these in the local community. Some key areas are highlighted below: 1. The main barriers identified to accessing mental health services were costs, waiting lists, and needing a GP’s referral or mental health plan. Given the services provided by the Sunlight Centre do not have any of these barriers, there would be a clear benefit from strong promotional strategy to highlight these positive features. 2. Authenticity, respect, empathy and understanding, non-judgement, compassion, human connection, expert counsellors, and individual face-to-face services were all emphasised as highly valued components of mental health services. It will be crucial to consider framing and wording of services to highlight these attributes when promoting the Centre’s services. 3. Social media and the internet were highlighted by participants as the most effective way to promote mental health services. It will be important to tap into these sentiments by tailoring the Centre’s website and developing a strategy for social media. 4. Consider obtaining guidance from a company with expertise in areas such as PR, communications, social media, and understanding of how to authentically promote services to young people. 5. When promoted more extensively, there is likely to be strong interest in the Centre’s services (especially given the costs, waiting lists and other barriers of many alternative mental health services). The Centre will need to consider its capacity to continue providing the same high-quality services if there was a sharp growth in clients.