Mental Health Research Gets $10 Million Boost

The Victorian Government has awarded $10 million to five innovative research projects into mental illness – including major Not for Profit and University research partnerships.

A major NFP project will receive $1,855,891 to develop an Australian-first recovery model for parents in Victorian mental health and family services, led by Associate Professor Darryl Maybery at Monash University.

The research partners are Monash University, SANE Australia, Family Life, Neami, the Bouverie Centre, the Parenting Research Centre, Raising Children Network, beyondblue, Eastern Health, Northern Health and the University of South Australia.

The research will work with parents with a mental illness to develop and trial approaches that effectively engage families and children within specialist mental health services.

The Government says this research is expected to deliver significant mental health and wellbeing benefits to both parents and their children.

The Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge said the five successful Mental Illness Research Fund projects are characterised by strong collaborations across different sectors, including the active and ongoing involvement of consumers, their carers and families.

“The five projects were selected from a very strong field of 43 submissions and will build knowledge that can be applied to improve treatment and recovery outcomes for people with mental illness,” Wooldridge said.

An expert advisory committee, chaired by Professor Bruce Tonge, provided advice on the Government fund, including on the research agenda for grants, with support provided by Neurosciences Victoria.

Mental Illness Research Fund successful projects:

Project 1 ($1,966,610): Use of online technology to promote self-management and recovery in people with psychosis, led by Professor Mike Kyrios at Swinburne University.

Research partners are Swinburne University, the Mental Illness Fellowship of Victoria, Mind Australia, Alfred Health, Melbourne Health and St Vincent’s Mental Health.

The project will develop and test the use of internet-based resources that can be easily accessed by mental health workers, consumers and carers to strengthen the capacity of people with severe mental illness to self-manage their recovery.

Project 2 ($1,792,727): The HORYZONS project: Moderated Online Social Therapy for Maintenance of Treatment Effects from Specialised First Episode Psychosis Services, led by Dr Mario Alvarez-Jimenez, a Senior Research Fellow at the Orygen Youth Health Research Centre.

Research partners are Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, the Australian Catholic University, the University of Melbourne and Deakin University.

This study will assess the effectiveness of an innovative online therapy to foster long-term recovery in young people suffering from psychosis. It will support young people with psychosis and prevent their disengagement from mental health services.

Project 3 ($1,777,332): Getting to the CORE: testing a co-design technique to optimise psychosocial recovery outcomes for people affected by mental illness, led by Dr Victoria Palmer at the University of Melbourne.

Research partners are University of Melbourne, the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council, the Victorian Mental Health Carers Network and eight community health centres across Victoria.

The project will investigate the impact of a new approach to consumer and staff “co-design” of mental health services at a range of community health centres across Victoria. It is expected to improve the recovery outcomes of people affected by mental illness.

Project 4 ($2,331,460): Working together with shared values towards recovery-oriented practice – Principles Unite Local Services Assisting Recovery – the PULSAR project, led by Professor Graham Meadows at Monash University.

Research partners are Monash University, Mind Australia, the Eastern Region Mental Health Association, Southern Health the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, Victoria University and University of London.

This project will develop and test evidence-based training materials and resources that will help a range of community based and primary health services work together to deliver recovery oriented care and support.

Project 5 ($1,855,891): Developing an Australian-first recovery model for parents in Victorian mental health and family services, led by Associate Professor Darryl Maybery at Monash University. Research partners are Monash University, SANE Australia, Family Life, Neami, the Bouverie Centre, the Parenting Research Centre, Raising Children Network, beyondblue, Eastern Health, Northern Health and the University of South Australia.

In an Australian first program of this kind, this research will work with parents with a mental illness to develop and trial approaches that effectively engage families and children within specialist mental health services. This is expected to deliver significant mental health and wellbeing benefits to both parents and their children.

Additional information can be found on the Victorian Department of Health website at:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/reform/mi-research-fund.htm