A free mental health program to help people "become their own therapists" has been developed in Newcastle.
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The "eCliPSE" program, launched on Wednesday, was created by a team of researchers from the universities of Newcastle and Sydney and Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI).
Its release coincides with a lack of capacity in the health system to meet the "rising tide" of mental health and substance use problems.
The program's developers hope it will provide "timely support and treatment to people in need of help".
HMRI chief executive Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin, who co-created the program, said "what I love is it teaches people to be their own therapist".
The program is designed to provide 24/7 access to "high-quality, evidence-based, clinical treatment" for depression, anxiety, trauma and use of alcohol and other drugs.
"It's tailored to the symptoms people are experiencing. Or they can hop on and have a look and pick and choose the sorts of programs that might interest them," Professor Kay-Lambkin said.
The program has attracted about $2 million in funding. The NSW government gave $250,000 to build the program and a further $500,000 for a two-year trial across NSW mental health services.
While other digital mental health programs are available, many come with a cost and concerns about privacy, security and credibility.
A digital marketing campaign will be used to connect people to eCliPSE.
"At the same time, we're working through local health districts with mental health and drug and alcohol services to have them broker access to the program for free to see what results in the best, safest and quickest uptake," the professor said.
Anyone can sign up for the program.
"They can do it with or without engaging in the research around it because we want to make sure people can access it any time," she said.
Private company Ramsay Health Care gave $750,000 towards the program, while the National Health and Medical Research Council and Beyond Blue gave a combined $500,000.
"It's a lot of investment and we want to do a lot of good with it and make sure it gets to people," Professor Kay-Lambkin said.
"We're working with clinicians across NSW in the public and private sectors."
The program involves a quiz that leads to treatment recommendations. There are modules, videos and written exercises.
"As part of eCliPSE, people can join our private moderated social network called Breathing Space," she said.
"That will put them in contact with our team of clinicians who interact with the network, and peers who have similar lived experiences.
"Then we can link people with real-life services in their area if and when they need it."
Professor Kay-Lambkin first invented a digital program for depression and alcohol use in the early 2000s.
"It's called Shade. We showed it was as effective as a real life therapist delivering the treatment," she said.
"Over that time we've developed more treatments using technology, as it has improved over the years."
The latest version of this work, eCliPSE, is accessible through eclipse.org.au.
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