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
2014
Journal Article
Developing a service platform definition to promote evidence-based planning and funding of the mental health service system
Lee, Yong Yi, Meurk, Carla S., Harris, Meredith, Diminic, Sandra, Scheurer, Roman W. and Whiteford, Harvey A. (2014). Developing a service platform definition to promote evidence-based planning and funding of the mental health service system. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11 (12), 12261-12282. doi: 10.3390/ijerph111212261
2014
Other Outputs
Males' help-seeking for mental health: an update
Harris, Meredith, Pirkis, Jane, Diminic, Sandra, Baxter, Amanda, Reavley, Nicola, Leske, Stuart and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Males' help-seeking for mental health: an update. East Melbourne, VIC, Australia: The Movember Foundation.
2014
Journal Article
Long-term follow-up of all-cause and unnatural death in young people with first-episode psychosis
Yuen, Kally, Harrigan, Susy M., Mackinnon, Andrew J., Harris, Meredith G., Yuen, Hok Pan, Henry, Lisa P., Jackson, Henry J., Herrman, Helen and McGorry, Patrick D. (2014). Long-term follow-up of all-cause and unnatural death in young people with first-episode psychosis. Schizophrenia Research, 159 (1), 70-75. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.07.042
2014
Journal Article
Characteristics of people who use telephone counseling: findings from secondary analysis of a population-based study
Bassilios, Bridget, Harris, Meredith, Middleton, Aves, Gunn, Jane and Pirkis, Jane (2014). Characteristics of people who use telephone counseling: findings from secondary analysis of a population-based study. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42 (5), 621-632. doi: 10.1007/s10488-014-0595-8
2014
Other Outputs
Informing the development of Tasmania's long-term plan for mental health: a review of policy documents and related literature
Pirkis, Jane, Whiteford, Harvey, Jorm, Tony, Harris, Meredith, Reavley, Nicola, Siskind, Dan, Bassilios, Bridget, Diminic, Sandra, Robinson, Jo, Carstensen, Georgia and Wong, Ides (2014). Informing the development of Tasmania's long-term plan for mental health: a review of policy documents and related literature. Hobart, TAS, Australia: Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services.
2014
Other Outputs
Alcohol and drug treatment services in Queensland. Phase 1: scoping study
Leitch, Elizabeth, Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Wong, Ides, Sinclair, David and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Alcohol and drug treatment services in Queensland. Phase 1: scoping study. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Queensland Department of Health.
2014
Journal Article
Preventing suicide at suicide hotspots: a case study from Australia
Lockley, Anne, Cheung, Yee Tak Derek, Cox, Georgina, Robinson, Jo, Williamson, Michelle, Harris, Meredith, Machlin, Anna, Moffat, Caitlin and Pirkis, Jane (2014). Preventing suicide at suicide hotspots: a case study from Australia. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 44 (4), 392-407. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12080
2014
Journal Article
Predictors of mental health-related acute service utilisation and treatment costs in the 12 months following an acute psychiatric admission
Siskind, Dan, Harris, Meredith, Diminic, Sandra, Carstensen, Georgia, Robinson, Gail and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Predictors of mental health-related acute service utilisation and treatment costs in the 12 months following an acute psychiatric admission. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 48 (11), 1048-1058. doi: 10.1177/0004867414543566
2014
Journal Article
System-level intersectoral linkages between the mental health and non-clinical support sectors: a qualitative systematic review
Whiteford, Harvey, McKeon, Gemma, Harris, Meredith, Diminic, Sandra, Siskind, Dan and Scheurer, Roman (2014). System-level intersectoral linkages between the mental health and non-clinical support sectors: a qualitative systematic review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 48 (10), 895-906. doi: 10.1177/0004867414541683
2014
Other Outputs
Queensland public sector ambulatory mental health services review: final report
Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Leitch, Elizabeth, Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Sinclair, David and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Queensland public sector ambulatory mental health services review: final report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Queensland Health.
2014
Journal Article
The burden attributable to mental and substance use disorders as risk factors for suicide: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010
Ferrari, Alize J., Norman, Rosana E., Freedman, Greg, Baxter, Amanda J., Pirkis, Jane E., Harris, Meredith G., Page, Andrew, Carnahan, Emily, Degenhardt, Louisa, Vos, Theo and Whiteford, Harvey A. (2014). The burden attributable to mental and substance use disorders as risk factors for suicide: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. PLoS One, 9 (4) e91936, e91936.1-e91936.11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091936
2014
Other Outputs
Mental health community support sector: review of Queensland Health contracting to non-government organisations
Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Leitch, Elizabeth, Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Siskind, Dan, Sinclair, David, Carstensen, Georgia and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Mental health community support sector: review of Queensland Health contracting to non-government organisations. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Queensland Health.
2014
Journal Article
Value of real world economic evaluations of crisis accommodation programmes for patients with severe mental illness
Siskind, Dan, Harris, Meredith and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Value of real world economic evaluations of crisis accommodation programmes for patients with severe mental illness. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 48 (10), 960-961. doi: 10.1177/0004867414529478
2014
Conference Publication
Quantifying the Treatment Quality Gap for Adults with Affective or Anxiety Disorders
Harris, Meredith, Hobbs, Megan, Burgess, Philip, Pirkis, Jane, Diminic, Sandra, Siskind, Dan, Andrews, Gavin and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Quantifying the Treatment Quality Gap for Adults with Affective or Anxiety Disorders. 2nd Meeting on Patient Reported Outcomes and Person Centered Care in Mental Health, Washington, DC United States, 26-28 September 2014. Milano, Italy: International Center of Mental Health Policy and Economics.
2014
Conference Publication
Understanding the treatment quality gap for depression, anxiety and schizophrenia: implications for policy and practice
Harris, Meredith, Davidson, Sandra and Diminic, Sandra (2014). Understanding the treatment quality gap for depression, anxiety and schizophrenia: implications for policy and practice. In: Priorities Conference 2014, Melbourne, VIC Australia, (). 10-12 November 2014.
2014
Journal Article
Understanding service demand for mental health among Australians aged 16 to 64 years according to their possible need for treatment
Harris, M.G., Diminic, S., Burgess, P.M., Carstensen, G., Stewart, G., Pirkis, J. and Whiteford, H.A. (2014). Understanding service demand for mental health among Australians aged 16 to 64 years according to their possible need for treatment. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 48 (9), 838-851. doi: 10.1177/0004867414531459
2014
Conference Publication
Defining minimally adequate treatment for schizophrenia: a review of evidence based treatment guidelines and systematic reviews
Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Siskind, Dan, Pirkis, Jane and Whiteford, Harvey (2014). Defining minimally adequate treatment for schizophrenia: a review of evidence based treatment guidelines and systematic reviews. Society for Mental Health Research 2014 Conference, Adelaide, SA Australia, 3-5 December 2014.
2014
Journal Article
Evaluating the Better Access initiative: what do consumers have to say?
Ftanou, Maria, Williamson, Michelle, Machlin, Anna, Warr, Deborah, Christo, Jo, Castan, Lani, Harris, Meredith, Bassilios, Bridget and Pirkis, Jane (2014). Evaluating the Better Access initiative: what do consumers have to say?. Australian Social Work, 67 (2), 162-178. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2014.902978
2013
Journal Article
Estimating treatment rates for mental disorders in Australia
Whiteford, Harvey A., Buckingham, William J., Harris, Meredith G., Burgess, Philip M., Pirkis, Jane E., Barendregt, Jan J. and Hall, Wayne D. (2013). Estimating treatment rates for mental disorders in Australia. Australian Health Review, 38 (1), 80-85. doi: 10.1071/AH13142
2013
Other Outputs
Estimating the community prevalence and treatment rates for mental and substance use disorders in Queensland: report to the Queensland Mental Health Commission
Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Sinclair, David, Carstensen, Georgia and Degenhardt, Louisa (2013). Estimating the community prevalence and treatment rates for mental and substance use disorders in Queensland: report to the Queensland Mental Health Commission. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Queensland Mental Health Commission.
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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