The CO-PRIME (COproducing and Promoting Research and Innovation in Mental HEalth) initiative has been launched as part of a new €3m investment by the Health Research Board (HRB). 

The announcement was made by Ireland’s Mental Health Minister Mary Butler. 

The new five-year project will be led by Maynooth University in partnership with several universities and institutions across the island of Ireland, including Queen’s. 

The initiative will support 10 research projects that aim to progress understanding of mental health in areas such as youth mental health, ADHD in adults, women’s mental health, and loneliness in older people. 

The Queen’s researchers include Professor Cherie Armour from the School of Psychology, Professor Gavin Davidson from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work and Professor Ciaran Mulholland from the Centre for Medical Education. 

The project will also involve collaboration with Dr Anne Grant, Lecturer from the School of Nursing and Midwifery and Dr Denise O'Hagan, a Senior Honorary Lecturer from the Centre for Public Health who will represent the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland within the project but also has links to Queen’s. 

Professor Armour will also lead one of the initiative's projects which will upskill mental health professionals, early/mid-career researchers, clinicians, non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners, and people with lived experience across the island of Ireland. 

Speaking on the importance of this announcement, Professor Cherie Armour, Professor of Psychological Trauma and Mental Health from the School of Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast said:

“It is a real pleasure to support the CO-PRIME initiative and lead on efforts to build capacity in mental health research and innovation through education, training, and career development.  

“This will be achieved through cross-border and cross-sector mentoring, educational provision, training, and collaboration to ensure that mental health knowledge is more actionable, inclusive, and transformative.  

“I believe that through CO-PRIME we will have the ability to truly support and grow the capacity of others for the betterment of the populations we aim to support who both deliver services to and / or have lived experience of mental health concerns. It's wonderful to see this investment and focus on mental health needs.” 

Professor Gavin Davidson, Praxis Chair of Social Care from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast added:

“This Collaborative Research Network is much needed and extremely welcome. The Network will facilitate greater all-island and international cooperation.  

“It will bring together researchers, people who have experience of mental health problems, family members, service providers and policy makers. It has an important focus on how we can promote mental health and prevent mental health problems, as well as on developing more effective services.” 

Dr Ciaran Mulholland, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry from the Centre for Medical Education at Queen’s University Belfast commented:

“CO-PRIME involves seven separate but inter-linked, co-developed work packages. Network activities will focus on priority areas including ‘Promotion, prevention and early intervention’; ‘Service access, coordination and care continuity’ and ‘Social inclusion’.   

“Our mission is to advance the production and implementation of high-quality mental health research in these areas by supporting a culture of collaboration and shared ownership, developing capacity, and promoting progressive and inclusive research infrastructures, with a drive to build all-island and international relationships.” 

Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler said: "This significant investment marks a major step forward in how we understand and respond to mental health needs in Ireland. Dedicated funding for mental health research has tripled since 2022, reflecting our strong commitment to evidence-based policy and innovation.”  

Dr Gráinne Gorman, Chief Executive of the Health Research Board said: “We welcome the Minister’s continued commitment to advance mental health research which has seen the HRB’s dedicated mental health research budget triple since 2022.  

“This recent investment demonstrates the power of co-production and collaboration in driving research that improves mental health and wellbeing, especially among priority and underserved populations, across the island of Ireland.” 

Media

Media inquiries to Sian Devlin at s.devlin@qub.ac.uk