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'

My current research interests include:

1. Mental health services research
2. Mental health service models and models of care for persons with severe mental health challenges
3. Suicide prevention and suicide prevention models
4. Primary mental health care and service models
5. Public mental health
6. Digital models of mental health care

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