Overview
Background
Associate Professor Meredith Harris is a researcher in the field of mental health services research and evaluation. She is a Principal Research Fellow with the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland, based at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.
Meredith holds qualifications in psychology, policy and applied social research, and public health. She has over 25 years of experience in the management and administration of research projects, including systematic literature reviews, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, studies based on epidemiological survey data, and evaluations of health programs and interventions using observational, quasi-experimental and experimental research designs.
Meredith's current role is with the Analysis and Reporting Component of the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN), which leads the design, analysis and reporting of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection (http://www.amhocn.org/). In this role, she is leading a range of projects designed to improve the measurement of patient- and service-level outcomes in Australia's specialised public sector mental health services.
Availability
- Associate Professor Meredith Harris is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, Macquarie University
- Masters (Coursework), Macquarie University
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, University of Sydney
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Investigating clinical and psychosocial outcomes of mental health treatment services and models
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Evaluating primary mental health care reforms
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Understanding population patterns of health service utilisation for mental health problems
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Using epidemiological and policy analyses to inform mental health service planning decisions
Research impacts
Meredith has led several major research projects that have directly informed mental health policy and service planning. For example, she undertook two empirical mental health planning studies that developed service planning targets for public sector mental health services and community support services funded by the Queensland government. The recommendations from these studies were taken up directly in the subsequent Queensland Mental Health Plan 2007-17 and informed the Queensland Department of Communities’ Supporting Recovery: Mental Health Community Services Plan 2011-2017.
She has led or contributed to a number of projects related to initiatives implemented under the National Mental Health Strategy. For example, she was an investigator on several components of a government-funded evaluation of the Better Access initiative; particularly, she led Component B which involved an in-depth analysis of patterns of use of mental health services delivered subsidised via the Medicare Benefits Schedule. The evaluation contributed evidence that has been widely used in ongoing national debate about access, equity and outcomes associated with this major national mental health reform, and informed refinements to the program guidelines.
Meredith’s research has involved novel applications of epidemiological survey data to answer policy-relevant questions about the performance of Australia’s mental health system. Using these data, for example, she published the first study to quantify minimally adequate treatment for affective and anxiety disorders in the Australian mental health system, the first published independent evaluation of a major primary mental health care initiative (the Better Access program), and the first study to examine the match between practice guideline recommendations and treatment of subthreshold depression in Australian primary care settings. Collectively, these studies have contributed to ongoing debates and efforts to understand the impact of policy and service impacts of measures of disease burden related to mental disorders.
Works
Search Professor Meredith Harris’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Other Outputs
Evaluation of Australia’s primary mental health care initiatives: an epidemiological perspective
Harris, Meredith Gai (2016). Evaluation of Australia’s primary mental health care initiatives: an epidemiological perspective. PhD Thesis, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.652
2016
Journal Article
Systematic review of interventions for Indigenous adults with mental and substance use disorders in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States
Leske, Stuart, Harris, Meredith G., Charlson, Fiona J., Ferrari, Alize J., Baxter, Amanda J., Logan, Jacquie M., Toombs, Maree and Whiteford, Harvey (2016). Systematic review of interventions for Indigenous adults with mental and substance use disorders in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. BMJ Open, 50 (11), 1040-1054. doi: 10.1177/0004867416662150
2016
Journal Article
Clozapine users in Australia: their characteristics and experiences of care based on data from the 2010 National Survey of High Impact Psychosis
Siskind, D. J., Harris, M., Phillipou, A., Morgan, V. A., Waterreus, A., Galletly, C., Carr, V. J., Harvey, C. and Castle, D. (2016). Clozapine users in Australia: their characteristics and experiences of care based on data from the 2010 National Survey of High Impact Psychosis. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 26 (3), 1-13. doi: 10.1017/S2045796016000305
2016
Journal Article
Longitudinal comparative evaluation of the equivalence of an integrated peer-support and clinical staffing model for residential mental health rehabilitation: a mixed methods protocol incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives
Parker, Stephen, Dark, Frances, Newman, Ellie, Korman, Nicole, Meurk, Carla, Siskind, Dan and Harris, Meredith (2016). Longitudinal comparative evaluation of the equivalence of an integrated peer-support and clinical staffing model for residential mental health rehabilitation: a mixed methods protocol incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives. BMC Psychiatry, 16 (1) 179, 179. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-0882-x
2016
Other Outputs
Implementing a Stepped Care approach to mental health services within Australian Primary Health Networks: Report to the Department of Health
Leitch, Elizabeth, Wright, Eryn, Harris, Meredith, Meurk, Carla and Whiteford, Harvey (2016). Implementing a Stepped Care approach to mental health services within Australian Primary Health Networks: Report to the Department of Health. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research : Policy and Economics Group.
2016
Other Outputs
National mental health service planning framework: phase 2: final report – June 2016
Whiteford, Harvey, Diminic, Sandra, Wong, Ides, Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Gossip, Kate, Leitch, Elizabeth and Harris, Meredith (2016). National mental health service planning framework: phase 2: final report – June 2016. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
2016
Other Outputs
Rapid literature review - primary mental health care models: final report
Harris, Meredith, Meurk, Carla, Reavley, Nicola, Bassilios, Bridget, Salom, Caroline, Wright, Eryn, Scheurer, Roman and Pirkis, Jane (2016). Rapid literature review - primary mental health care models: final report.
2016
Journal Article
Frequent callers to telephone helplines: new evidence and a new service model
Pirkis, Jane, Middleton, Aves, Bassilios, Bridget, Harris, Meredith, Spittal, Matthew J., Fedszyn, Izabela, Chondros, Patty and Gunn, Jane (2016). Frequent callers to telephone helplines: new evidence and a new service model. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 10 (43) 43, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s13033-016-0076-4
2016
Journal Article
Reducing excess mortality due to chronic disease in people with severe mental illness: meta-review of health interventions
Baxter, Amanda J., Harris, Meredith G., Khatib, Yasmin, Brugha, Traolach S., Bien, Heidrun and Bhui, Kamaldeep (2016). Reducing excess mortality due to chronic disease in people with severe mental illness: meta-review of health interventions. British Journal of Psychiatry, 209 (4), 322-329. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.163170
2016
Other Outputs
Culture in Mind: An evaluation framework for a community program promoting the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Brisbane - Draft report
Scheurer, Roman, Wright, Eryn and Harris, Meredith (2016). Culture in Mind: An evaluation framework for a community program promoting the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Brisbane - Draft report. Brisbane, QLD Australia:
2016
Conference Publication
What is the current evidence on low intensity mental health interventions? Implications for developing a stepped care service model
Wright, E., Leitch, E., Harris, M., Meurk, C. and Whiteford, H. (2016). What is the current evidence on low intensity mental health interventions? Implications for developing a stepped care service model . Society for Mental Health Research, Sydney, Australia, 7-9 December 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Identifying a clinician-rated measure of functioning for routine use in Australian specialised mental health services
Burgess, P., Harris, M., Pirkis, J. and Coombs, T. (2016). Identifying a clinician-rated measure of functioning for routine use in Australian specialised mental health services. Third Meeting on Patient Reported Outcomes and Person Centered Care in Mental Health, Washington, DC, United States, 23-25 September 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Mapping mental health system resources against planning benchmarks: examples and challenges
Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Leitch, Elizabeth, Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Charlson, Fiona and Whiteford, Harvey (2016). Mapping mental health system resources against planning benchmarks: examples and challenges. Society for Mental Health Research 2016 Conference, Sydney, Australia, 7-9 December 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Examining variation in the use and availability of mental health services: methods and some applications
Harris, M. (2016). Examining variation in the use and availability of mental health services: methods and some applications. The Mental Health Services Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 23-26 August 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
A profile of Australian mental health carers
Diminic, Sandra, Hielscher, Emily, Harris, Meredith, Lee, Yong Yi, Schess, Jaclyn, Kealton, Jan and Whiteford, Harvey (2016). A profile of Australian mental health carers. Society for Mental Health Research 2016 Conference, Sydney, Australia, 7-9 December 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Personality Disorder comorbidities and disability in the population: a systematic review
Oakley, P., Harris, M. and Baxter, A. (2016). Personality Disorder comorbidities and disability in the population: a systematic review . Society for Mental Health Research, Sydney, Australia, 7-9 December 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Developing a mental health planning framework
Gossip, Kate, Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Leitch, Elizabeth, Wright, Eryn and Whiteford, Harvey (2016). Developing a mental health planning framework. 38th Society for Mental Health Research Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 7-9 December 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
The replacement cost of informal care for people with mental illness in Australia
Lee, Y., Diminic, S., Hielscher, E., Harris, M., Kealton, J. and Whiteford, H. (2016). The replacement cost of informal care for people with mental illness in Australia. 38th Australian Conference for Health Economists, Fremantle, WA, Australia, 26-27 September 2016.
2016
Other Outputs
Co-morbid mental and substance use disorders – a meta-review of treatment effectiveness
Leung, Janni, Stockings, Emily, Wong, Ides, Galasyuk, Nataliya, Diminic, Sandra, Leitch,, Whiteford, Harvey, Degenhardt, Louisa, Ritter, Alison and Harris, Meredith (2016). Co-morbid mental and substance use disorders – a meta-review of treatment effectiveness. Sydney, NSW, Australia: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
2016
Conference Publication
Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner Model of Care within the Primary Healthcare Team at Wolston Correctional Centre
How, R., Wong, I., Santomauro, D., Wright, E. and Harris, M. (2016). Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner Model of Care within the Primary Healthcare Team at Wolston Correctional Centre. 11th Conference of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, Alice Springs, NT, Australia, 30 August-2 September 2016.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Meredith Harris is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Mental Health Service Planning in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford, Dr Sandra Diminic
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Australian Mental Health Court Liaison Services: developing an approach to performance measurement
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Philip Burgess
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the characteristics and service needs of carers for adults with mental illness to inform mental health service planning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Dan Siskind, Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Who receives what, from whom, and to what effect at clinically operated, community-based residential mental health rehabilitation for Severe and Persistent Mental Illness in Australia?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Dan Siskind, Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Decision-analytic modelling to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce the burden of major depression in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Cognitive remediation and social cognition interaction training:implementation and dessimination in a clinical setting
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Neal Ashkanasy, Dr Damian Santomauro, Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS): The performance of a major Australian primary mental health initiative
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford
Media
Enquiries
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