New Brisbane mental health support group

A new LGBTI community mental health and suicide awareness and support group, working in conjunction with a number of major health advocacy organisations, has its sights set on tackling severe issues affecting our community.

‘Rainbow OK?’ was created in light of recent deaths in the LGBTI community, with a group of five concerned individuals deciding more needed to be done to overcome the issue of mental health and suicide in Brisbane.

With the backing of the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC), the group’s name was based on the highly successful and simple message from the national mental health awareness campaign ‘R U OK?’.

“All too frequently we experience suicide of LGBTI people in our community, and this causes us all a significant amount of grief and sadness. As a community we can do something about this. Suicide of LGBTI people is preventable,” QAHC counsellor and group member Sally Morris said.

Rainbow OK? will be holding a community barbeque on Sunday, April 14 at New Farm park from 11am. The day will be informal and fun and it hopes to provide the community with an opportunity where people can connect, learn, and be supported. There will also be a male-only fundraising underwear party on Saturday, April 13 at the Sportsman’s Hotel.

For more information on the barbeque, click here, the underwear party, click here, and to find out more about Rainbow OK? and join the group, click here.

INFO: If you need immediate assistance, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.