Through collaboration with researchers, government and non-government agencies, and community representatives, we’re developing strategies and policies to address complex child and adolescent mental health issues.

Our research aims to:

• address the unmet need for assessment and intervention for the perceived crisis caseload in the region
• develop and implement population health approaches that address poor youth mental health and wellbeing.

Despite calls for community-led health services, rural and remote communities still carry a greater disease burden.

Our work explores the impact of partnerships between higher education, school education, human services, and health in redefining child and adolescent mental health services in far western New South Wales.

We analyse and implement sustainable solutions to address regionally identified complexities. Our specific focus addresses the need for intervention and for developing health approaches.

Our research will develop, deliver and evaluate ‘fit-for-purpose’ child and adolescent mental health services. These services will respond to the full spectrum of care needs with a focus on crisis response.

We have existing partnerships with the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health and the Brain Mind and Research Institute so we can address these issues and provide sustainable solutions.

Internal collaborators

• Professor Ian Hickie
• Debra Jones
• Dr Susan Kirby
• Professor Zdenka Kuncic
• Professor David Lyle (Project Node Leader)
• Professor Luis Salvador-Carulla

External collaborators

• Susan Daly, NSW Health
• Ross O'Shea, NSW Family and Community Services
• Trish Webb, NSW Department of Education