AHA has substantial expertise and experience across mental health and related areas. Recent AHA consulting projects include:
Team members have been practitioners and involved in system reform within these sectors at local, state and national levels.
Dr Anne Pratt, holds a Doctorate in Psychology, as well as a variety of other training and education qualifications, which when combined with her broad range of work experience in the healthcare sector including as a Mental Health Nurse, provide her with exceptional consultation skills.
Her career has mainly focussed on developing and improving services for people with acute and chronic health problems, including mental health problems. In most of her health related roles she was extensively involved in the planning, development, audit, and evaluation of services which were devised for the identification and management of a range of mental health problems. These included suicide prevention services; rehabilitation services, including a service called Workright that assists people with mental health problems to access the workplace; housing and case management support services for those with mental health problems; acute care services; and the first mobile day hospital for those experiencing early dementia and related disorders.
Anne's current projects include
Development and Implementation of an Evaluation Framework for Commonwealth Suicide Prevention Activity (DoHA).
Peter Orchard, led the rollout of a new integrated model of care across Australia for young people (12-25 years) at risk of mental health and related issues such as substance misuse, in his former role as Deputy CEO of headspace – National Youth Mental Health Foundation. Peter oversaw the funding and establishment of 30 new services throughout Australia which provide the integrated delivery of mental health, primary care, alcohol and other drug and vocational services from settings that are youth appropriate.
Rossi Lyons, has over 20 years’ experience across clinical, management, government and consulting settings. Rossi is a registered psychologist in New South Wales, Victoria and registered with Medicare as a provider under Enhanced Primary Care and Better Outcomes for Mental Health. Rossi has delivered mental health services to adults and children, including in rural settings, within her own private practice and in community health. She has worked closely with general practitioners and psychiatrists, along with other allied health professionals to deliver inter-disciplinary care.
Recent consulting projects conducted by Rossi include:
- Development of a mental health directorate communication strategy
- Facilitating a network approach to mental health service delivery.
- Community consultation to support expansion of mental health rehabilitation services in a rural area
- Mental Health policy development for a state government department
- Service model review across three psychiatric rehabilitation services.
Janet Farrow has held senior clinical and senior management roles in forensic psychiatry and drug treatment services. She has extensive experience of mental health services, child and family welfare, disability and aged care sectors, as a consultant and as a clinician. Her qualifications include Graduate Diploma in Law, MBA, Bachelor of Social Work and psychiatric nursing qualifications. She continues to teach at the University of Melbourne, for the Bachelor of Social Work and the postgraduate Master of Social Work courses. In 2001, Janet was awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship, to examine treatment and support programs for individuals and their families where substance abuse, family violence or mental disorders are present.
For two years she was a senior policy adviser in the Victorian Government’s Department of Premier and Cabinet, during which time she advised on machinery of government issues and served on the secretariat of the Premier’s Drug Advisory Council.
Janet's recent consulting projects include a review of UnitingCare Governance structures in Victorian and Tasmania and an impact evaluation of placement of mental health clinicians in homeless persons services.