Peter Orchard

Peter, an Associate Director of AHA, has over 15 years of healthcare consulting and work experience, including conducting many projects for federal, state and local governments. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diplomas in each of Counselling, Family Therapy and Teaching.

Prior to joining AHA, he helped establish and was then appointed Deputy CEO for Headspace - Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation. Peter's role included working closely with the executive level of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) Mental Health and Workforce Division, as well as heads of mental health and other key stakeholders across each state and territory government. He managed contracts with 36 organisations across Australia to successfully deliver services against DoHA’s head contract.

His previous work experience includes:
  • Eltham Community Health Service; Coordinator KITS Reconnect & Youth and Family Project (Early Intervention Youth Homelessness Projects) & Family Therapist
  • Salvation Army; Collingwood Site Coordinator, Bridging Education and Training (BEAT) (Youth Homelessness Education & Support Program)
  • Brotherhood of St Laurence; Coordinator Active Placement Unit & Housing Resource Unit (Youth Homelessness Independent Housing and Employment projects).
As a consultant, much of Peter’s work has focused on:
  • Evaluation of Projects and Programs
  • Concept Development and Planning.
Examples of his many consulting projects include:
  • Evaluation of the statewide Rural Outreach Diversion Workers (RODW) Program (DHS Drugs Policy and Services Branch) http://www.health.vic.gov.au/drugservices/pubs/rodwp_eval.htm
  • Evaluation of the Alcohol and Drug Youth Consultant (ADY-C) Program (DHS Drugs Policy and Services Branch)
  • Review and analysis of the Action Research components of the Reconnect Program (National Early Intervention Homelessness Program) in 2004, 2005 and 2006 (FaHCSIA)
  • Evaluation of the pilot implementation of the Quality Improvement Program Planning System (QIPPS) by Primary Health Organisations (Auckland Regional Public Health Service & Victorian Community Health Association)
  • Evaluation of the Open Door Pilot (DHS Southern Metropolitan Region)
  • Evaluate and develop strategic scenarios for JETS Studio (Council run, young people’s music recording venue); (Banyule City Council)
  • ‘Best Value Review’ Stakeholder evaluation (Banyule City Council Youth Services)
  • Audit of the after hours needs of young people (City of Casey)
  • Action Research support to Reconnect service providers and review of the ReconnectAR Website (Queensland University of Technology).
  • Youth Homeless Service System Model Re-development (DHS Southern Metropolitan Region)
  • Provision of a consultative process for the development of a model along with policies and procedures for an integrated and coordinated Front Door entry to the homelessness service system in the Outer Southern Metropolitan region of Melbourne (DHS Southern Metropolitan Region);
  • Provision of concept and partnership development process to develop an Integrated Intake, Assessment and Referral Model for entry to Youth and Family Services ( City Of Banyule and the Shire Of Nillumbik)
  • Provision of a concept development process for an innovative youth precinct, addressing Health, Drugs & Alcohol, the Arts, Education, Training & Employment and ‘Physical Challenge’ (ORYGEN Youth Health);
  • Development of the Municipal Early Years Plan; (Shire of Yarra Ranges)
  • Submission to DHS for The development of a sustainable early years service system for children and families, on behalf of the nine municipalities that straddle the urban/rural interface (interface Councils of Metropolitan Melbourne)
  • Protocol development process for a service provision partnership (Travancore School and Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Services)
  • Facilitated a consultative process and prepared funding submission for Responding to Emerging Conduct Orders in School Aged Children ( Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Services)
  • Provision of a strategic planning process and document for the provision of learning programs for ‘at risk” young people (Banyule and Nillumbik Adult Community Education providers).
 

Peter, an Associate Director of AHA, has over 15 years of healthcare consulting and work experience, including conducting many projects for federal, state and local governments.