I first wrote about headspace in the fall of 2011, only a few days after I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Tanti. As CEO of headspace, he manages what I think is one of the most innovative and effective teen mental health programs in the world.

headspace shares our mission of early identification and treatment of mental illness and teen suicide prevention. It was a goal of mine to meet Chris in person, and importantly, to introduce him to some of our faculty at the Columbia University Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. I am so pleased that Chris will be the speaker at our April 26 webinar — headspace: What can we learn from Australia’s mental health success?

The webinar will give many more people the opportunity learn how this six-year old program is successfully addressing the dual problems of stigma and mental health access in Australia. Through a network of 40 innovative centers, headspace offer teens a comfortable place to talk about what’s on their minds — from general health problems, to school difficulties, substance abuse, unemployment, and other common concerns of adolescence.

Youth can stop by, drop in or access information online and then make a connection with headspace in their community. At the same time, an integrated care model ensures that primary care providers and professionals who work with youth get the mental health skills they need to identify potential problems and link teens to care.

It’s both a simple idea and one that is revolutionizing adolescent mental health care throughout Australia. Join us for an exciting event that will challenge our thinking on mental health care and access, and provide a fresh perspective on meeting the growing mental health needs of our youth.