$2.5 million study to focus on Illawarra Mental Health

27-August-2002

The University of Wollongong and Illawarra Mental Health Service will be a research partner in a $2.5 million national research project announced by Federal Health Minister Kay Patterson.

Australia's peak provider of public health advice and the nation's leading founder of medical research - the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)- awards grants each year to the total value of $2.5 million over five years to a partnership in strategic health priority areas.

This year the health priority area is mental health. This year's NHMRC Partnership Grant has been awarded to the University of Queensland in partnership with the University of Wollongong, Illawarra Health and 29 other partners in Health Services, General Practice, Non Government Organisations and other Universities throughout Australia. Following extensive peer-review, the Health Research Partnerships Mental Health Committee recommended the funding for the project entitled: Evaluation of an integrated strategy to promote the health of people with chronic or recurring mental disorders.

The team researchers, will be headed by Associate Professor David Kavanagh, from the University of Queensland. The national project team also includes researchers from the Illawarra Mental Health Service and Wentworth Mental Health Service in NSW, and La Trobe Regional Hospital Mental Health Service in Victoria; and Gold Coast and Prince Charles Hospital Area Health Services in Queensland. Several other NSW mental health providers such as the Illawarra Division of General Practice, Aftercare Association of NSW and the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association have also pledged funds to support the research and are very excited to be involved in such a nationally important research effort. Upon inclusion of contributions from partners involved, the total budget will be in excess of $5 million.

Illawarra Health has committed $265,000 to the five-year project. The University of Wollongong has committed $250,000 to the program from the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences.

Dr Lindsay Oades and Professor Frank Deane will lead the team of researchers from the Illawarra Institute for Mental Health. The University of Wollongong team has primary responsibility for the program component that will evaluate the effects of training mental health providers in a collaborative recovery model that is aimed at helping individuals who have high support mental health needs.

"The high support section of the project will involve training 140 clinicians across three states. The aim is to facilitate setting and monitoring collaborative goals with mental health consumers. The goals will focus on maximising mental and physical health management- as much as possible, helping people to help themselves." Dr Oades said.

Illawarra Health/UOW joint Professor of Research, Professor Hodgson said that this project would also build on the strong relationship between the University of Wollongong and Illawarra Health.

"This year the health priority area is Mental Health and a single grant has been awarded to a partnership led by the University of Queensland but including many other partners. Several of these partners are local including the joint Illawarra Health /University of Wollongong Illawarra Institute for Mental Health.''

"The grant will fund research in three major strands, the physical illness of the mentally ill, the mental health of aboriginal peoples and the use of a collaborative recovery model to improve the mental health of those mentally ill with high support needs".

"The research program also involves research into improving the physical health of the mentally ill. This is a forgotten area in mental health and many mentally ill patients suffer from physical illness like diabetes and cardiovascular disease to a higher degree than the rest of the population."

"This indicates the national recognition of our local mental health research team. It sets the basis for pioneering research that will improve the health of the mentally ill as well as leading to international recognition for both researchers and health service providers, including NGO's,'' Prof. Hodgson said.

Director of Illawarra Health Mental Health Services Eugene McGarrell, said he was delighted with the news.

"Illawarra Mental Health is keen to build better partnerships with centres of learning, primary care agencies and non-government organisations. This grant will help cement our relationship with the Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, the Illawarra Division of GPs and other local providers. It will also help us develop new relationships with organisations such as the University of Queensland. However, the most important benefit of this grant is to consumers of the local mental health services. This research will help in our quest to deliver evidenced based mental health care," Mr McGarell said.

For details contact: Dr Lindsay Oades Illawarra Institute for Mental Health University of Wollongong Ph: 42213694 Mobile: 0413 933 990 Mr Eugene McGarell Director Mental Health Services Illawarra Health Ph: 4295 2543

Media contact: Illawarra Health media officer Anne Bransdon on 4275 5174. University of Wollongong media manager Bernie Goldie on 4221 5942.