4 March 2025

The Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI) at Austin Health has been awarded new funding to continue delivering MumMoodBooster and expand its reach to DadBooster, ensuring more parents have access to life-changing perinatal mental health support.

Announced last week by The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, this funding is part of the Australian Government’s $135.2 million Digital Mental Health Program, which aims to provide free, high-quality mental health care for Australians.

The Hon Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, personally called Professor Jeannette Milgrom, Director of PIRI, and the PIRI team to congratulate them on their significant contribution to perinatal mental health, and on recognising the importance of supporting not only mothers but also fathers.

PIRI’s accredited, evidence-based programs were selected from a highly competitive funding round, which was $430 million oversubscribed, highlighting the strong demand for evidence-based digital mental health solutions. The funding will help PIRI continue its mission to turn research into real-world impact, ensuring more families receive the support they need.

Expanding support for parents

For over a decade, PIRI has led the way in translating scientific research into innovative digital interventions which have already supported over 10,000 women. This new investment will allow thousands more families - including fathers - to access treatment.

• MumMoodBooster: A rigorously tested, clinically proven digital program for moderate to severe postnatal depression, co-designed with perinatal women and based on best-practice cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
• Mum2BMoodBooster: A digital intervention available for expectant parents.
• DadBooster: A world-first online treatment for paternal postnatal depression, successfully evaluated in a randomised trial. Despite 1 in 10 fathers experiencing postnatal depression and a disproportionately high suicide rate among new fathers, men are rarely assessed or treated. DadBooster fills this gap.

National recognition for PIRI’s impact

With this funding, PIRI continues to set the standard for innovative, evidence-based digital treatments, making a lasting difference for parents and families across Australia. 

Congratulations to the PIRI team on this outstanding achievement, and to the many parents who will benefit from these expanded services.

Read Minister Butler’s announcement: Delivering high-quality, free digital mental health supports