Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am an overseas trained public health physician and senior lecturer at Monash Rural Health. My research focusses on the design, implementation and evaluation of mental health and wellbeing services with the purpose of improving the lives and circumstances of people who experience psychological distress and live with severe mental health challenges.
The first mental health service I designed and implemented was called MAANASI in rural Karnataka (India). Following my PhD at Monash University which focused on help seeking for mental health problems by Aboriginal men and the service response, I co-designed a model for early detection of mental health problems among Aboriginal men called the Koori Men's Health Day. Key lessons have been learned from these experiences. I also supported the development of JEKKORA - an Aboriginal model of early identification, and support of persons with psychological distress and suicidal ideation in rural communities.
I co-edited a special issue on Mental health services and suicide prevention strategies for Indigenous people in the journal Advances in Mental Health with Prof. Pat Dudgeon. I am an Associate Editor for the journal, Frontiers in Health Services and am a guest editor for a special issue on Interventions for suicide prevention for the journal Injury Prevention.
I have reviewed applications for:
- UK Medical Research Council and UK Research and Innovation Grant,
- Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, GACD
- NHMRC healthy cities
The following are some of my open access publications
- Consumer and carer views of shortcomings of mental health services
- Mental Health integrated models in primary care
- Qualitative study of Clinicians' and users' views of tele-mental health
- Scoping review of Centralized Intake Models
- Effectiveness of a care coordination service model for persons with severe mental health problems
- Article in The Conversation on poverty and mental illness.
- Article on lower income levels and psychological distress in Australia.
- Article for AEON magazine on 'Chemobrain'
Research interests
My current research interests include:
- Mental health services research
- Mental health service models and models of care for persons with severe mental health challenges
- Suicide prevention and suicide prevention models
- Primary mental health care and service models
- Public mental health
- Digital models of mental health care
Supervision interests
I am accepting Masters and PhD students interested in pursuing mental health services research in the areas of:
- Access,
- Quality of care (and recovery oriented care) and
- Continuing care for persons with mental health challenges
- Digitally enabled personal recovery models of care
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Mental health services, PhD, “Improving mental health of Koorie men. A study of help seeking and mental health service response.”, MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 14 Jun 2011
Community Health, MD, St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences
Award Date: 14 Dec 2001
Medicine, MBBS, St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences
Award Date: 15 Dec 1994
Research area keywords
- mental health services
- Personal Recovery
- Social determinants of health
- Marginalised communities
- Personal recovery oriented services
- suicide prevention
- Models of care
- Evaluation methodology
- Qualitative Research
- Telehealth
- digital health
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 10 Finished
-
Gippsland PHN HeadtoHelp Hub and Satellite Model Evaluation
Maybery, D. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Isaacs, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sutton, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hine, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mitchell, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bullock, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Atkinson, S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Gippsland Health Network Limited
1/06/21 → 30/06/22
Project: Research
-
Social Prescribing Evaluation
Isaacs, A., Sutton, K. & Haigh, B.
21/12/20 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
-
The applicability of Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory in learning during internship
Isaacs, A. & Spencer, B. A.
1/01/20 → 31/12/20
Project: Research
-
Evaluation of Partners in Recovery longitudinal program data
Sutton, K., Isaacs, A. & Beauchamp, A.
Gippsland Primary Health Network
31/10/18 → 30/04/19
Project: Research
-
The design and implementation of an innovative indicated suicide prevention service in Melbourne
Isaacs, A. N., Le Brun, C. & Swaminathan, V., Dec 2025, In: Injury Epidemiology. 12, 1, 11 p., 16.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Mental health integrated care models in primary care and factors that contribute to their effective implementation: a scoping review
Isaacs, A. N. & Mitchell, E. K. L., 9 Feb 2024, In: International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 18, 1, 16 p., 5.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access12 Citations (Scopus) -
Roles, responsibilities and role challenges of lived experience workers in a regional mental health service: a qualitative study
Robinson, S. & Isaacs, A., 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Advances in Mental Health. 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
-
Service Users’ Descriptions of Recovery-Oriented Elements of a Rural Mental Health Service
Hine, R., Mitchell, E., Naughton, M., Craig, L., Azar, D., O’Regan, M., Isaacs, A., Bullock, S., Sutton, K. & Maybery, D., 2024, In: Australian Social Work. 77, 2, p. 196-213 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Shortcomings of services for persons with severe and persistent mental health challenges: a qualitative study of service users and family carers
Isaacs, A., Lambert, C., Lawn, S. & Dyer, A., 14 Feb 2024, In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. 15, 14 p., 1341248.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
-
2020 Leon Piterman Early Career Researcher Publication Prize for Social and Educational Research
Isaacs, A. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
File -
Award for Outstanding Contribution
Isaacs, Anton (Recipient), 2008
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Early Career Researcher publication prize
Isaacs, Anton (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Paul Harris Fellow (non Rotarian)
Isaacs, Anton (Recipient), 2006
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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International Conference of the European Network for Mental Health Services Evaluation 2024
Anton Isaacs (Speaker)
4 Jul 2024 → 6 Jul 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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World Congress of Social Psychiatry London 2023
Anton Isaacs (Speaker)
16 Jan 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
-
Victorian and Tasmanian Primary Health Network Alliance (VTPHA) (External organisation)
Anton Isaacs (Member)
2023Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Consultancy
-
Joint Peer Review Panel- GACD CITIES Call (NHMRC) (Event)
Anton Isaacs (Peer reviewer)
2023Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
-
Centralised intake models and recommendations for their use in non-acute mental health services: a scoping review
Anton Isaacs (Member)
Nov 2022 → Jan 2023Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
Press/Media
-
Funding win for new app to address unmet need in mental health
12/06/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
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From Bangalore to Warragul, aiding the mental health of those most in need
31/10/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
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Chemobrain is real. Here’s what to expect after cancer treatment
1/04/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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When it’s easier to get meds than therapy: how poverty makes it hard to escape mental illness
Graham Meadows, Anthony Cichello, Anton Isaacs & Frances Shawyer
3/07/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Stop Male Suicide in Victoria Seminar
26/06/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities