WA Gov Supports Gheorg to Connect to Psychs & Speak New Languages
Kids from regional and diverse communities awarded more support through AI-enhanced mental health app
Gheorg has been awarded $50,000 from the WA Government to improve mental health outcomes for kids in remote areas.
This new funding for Gheorg will work towards bridging the gap between anxious kids who need help and their mental health professionals allowing them to connect. Gheorg will also be translated into new languages.
The WA 2021 Innovation Challenge: Child and Youth Mental Health is offering up to $1.5 million in follow-on funding for projects to fully develop and implement their concepts. So far, Gheorg is one of just 11 applicants have been awarded up to $50,000 each to get started on feasibility studies and building prototypes.
The Need for Mental Health Initiatives Like Gheorg
Gheorg is the first mental health app that integrates both common therapy practices - beyond calming and meditation techniques. Dr Metcalf launched the Gheorg app during the pandemic in September 2020 and has since had +5,000 downloads from families all around the world.
Currently around Australia, psychologists and other mental health professionals are struggling to keep up with the demand for their services. The majority of psychologists are based in city centres leaving a massive gap in support in regional areas. And 1 in 3 psychologists are closing their waitlists because of increased demand.
In regards to the funding, Gheorg founder Dr Louise Metcalf said:
"It's great to be working with the WA McGowan government in this inspiring initiative for mental health. I'm a psychologist myself so I know how under the pump psychologists are right now, and how much we want to help. I’m so excited that Gheorg is getting this chance to help through The Innovation Challenge 2021: Child and Youth Mental Health."
Co-Designing Gheorg with Kids & New Languages
The rapidly increasing rates of anxiety Dr Louise Metcalf was seeing in children prompted the idea for Gheorg - a fun and friendly robot character. Co-designed with 1,000+ kids in schools, Gheorg has been designed to support long-term positive changes in children’s mental health. Gheorg allows kids to learn about mental wellbeing, resilience as well as self-regulation and calming techniques in as little as five minutes a day.
This new project will allow Gheorg to improve outcomes for children with anxiety by providing access to a collaborative, measurement-based, dynamic care system for children with diverse backgrounds.
Increased Demand and Focus on Mental Health
In support of using technology and AI in these mental health solutions, Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson recognised the importance of early intervention:
"The adoption of artificial intelligence and technology is going from strength to strength in health care, and early screening and detection is key in managing mental health."
With growing pressures on young kids, Dr Metcalf also says it’s important for all kids to learn how to manage stress, recognise their emotions and build healthy habits to build mental resilience long-term. Dr Metcalf points out:
“Kids with anxiety have a 50% chance of not passing all their subjects at school, and that’s compared to 18% for kids with no mental health challenges.”
Before the pandemic started in 2020, anxiety rates of children in Australia were said to have been at just 20%.
With bigger stressors for kids since 2020 like the global pandemic and environmental challenges like the devastating bushfires, almost 50% of students in Australia have reported higher levels of severe stress and anxiety.
These numbers are set to increase with the influence of current ongoing international conflicts alongside the social pressures on kids to continue to have high levels of performance. Anxiety in children can have a drastic impact on their mental health later in life through negative learning and social development.
With recent research investigating the long-term impacts of anxiety, WA Mental Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has said in relation to the project:
"Early childhood is a critical time for brain development and functioning. Childhood experiences build the foundations of life-long resilience, social and emotional wellbeing, and self-esteem.... Early interventions have the potential to change the trajectory of a young person's life and I congratulate all recipients on their innovative apps."
Read the announcement from the WA Government here.
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Try Gheorg for yourself and see how the friendly characters support kids to build confidence and emotional resilience.