AHA has substantial expertise and experience across mental health and related areas. Team members have been practitioners and involved in system reform within these sectors at local, state and national levels.
Peter Orchard, a Director at AHA, 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.
Peter has also worked on the reform of other sectors where mental ill-health is prevalent, including the homelessness service systems in Victoria. He has also conducted evaluations of alcohol and other drug programs for the Victorian Department of Human Services.
Suzanne Vilé, has over 25 years’ clinical, management and consulting experience, has taken a lead role in the strategic planning, management and evaluation of policy and projects in mental health and disability.
Suzanne’s previous experience in the mental health field includes the following roles and projects undertaken, prior to joining AHA:
- Managed Translating Research into Practice project. This project aimed to increase the uptake of evidence-based practice in the treatment of schizophrenia within a large mental health service
- Managed the quality, risk management, clinical standards and accreditation processes for a large regional area mental health service. This service had 13 programs (child, adult, aged) and included acute and community-based rural services
- Managed the graduate nurse program in a regional mental health service
- Developed a training program for mental health workers in regional area mental health service
- Lectured for five years on mental health subjects for health professionals.
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 prior to joining AHA 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.
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
Recent AHA consulting projects include: