I am a public health physician researcher 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.

I have designed and implemented a rural mental health service called MAANASI in rural Karnataka (India) and co-designed a model for early detection of mental health problems among Aboriginal men called the Koori Men's Health Day. Key lessons  learned from these experiences can inform the design and implementation of mental health services for disadvantaged communities and in areas of unmet need. 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 am interested in the development and evaluation of new and responsive models of care for individuals with mental health challenges both at the service systems level and at the community level. Systems level reform will need to consider the voices of individuals with lived and living experiences, involve lived experience expertise in service delivery with the focus of improving quality of care and consider the formal integration of clinical and social services. Community care models also produce great outcomes when they are guided by lived experience.

The following are some of my open access publications

• Individual Socioeconomic Measures and Change in HoNOS Scores among Persons Attending Adult Community Mental Health Services
• Unmet needs of carers of persons with severe mental health challenges
• 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
• Lower income levels and psychological distress in Australia.

Editorial responsibilities

I am an Associate Editor for the journal Frontiers in Health Services in the Mental Health Services section and an Editorial Board member for the journal, Academia Mental Health and Wellbeing.

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 rural mental health and mental health services research in the areas of:

• Models of care
• Recovery oriented care
• Continuing care for persons with mental health challenges
• Digitally enabled models of care 
• Rural Health Workforce