Development of Australian mental health guidelines for community sport

Objective: The need for clear and actionable guidelines for the promotion and protection of mental health in organised community sport has previously been identified. This study aimed to provide guidelines to promote and protect mental health in organised community sport in Australia. Methods: Guideline development was informed by (1) systematic reviews of the evidence pertaining to existing mental health guidelines in sport and mental health interventions in community sport; (2) an expert Delphi consensus study and (3) key stakeholder input via focus groups. A Guideline Development Committee comprising experts and key stakeholder representatives articulated nine distinct guidelines. Results: These guidelines address the areas of: mental health literacy training; mental health support pathways and processes; responding to mental health emergencies; responding to major events that may impact mental health; having a mental health plan in place; reducing stigmatising attitudes; appointing a dedicated mental health champion; coach education and promoting well-being within the organisation. Conclusions: We provide guidance for promoting and protecting mental health in community sport. Monitoring uptake and measuring the effectiveness of the guidelines are important areas of future work to advance positive mental health for everybody involved in community sport.