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
2013
Journal Article
A retrospective quasi-experimental study of a transitional housing program for patients with severe and persistent mental illness
Siskind, Dan, Harris, Meredith, Kisely, Steve, Siskind, Victor, Brogan, James, Pirkis, Jane, Crompton, David and Whiteford, Harvey (2013). A retrospective quasi-experimental study of a transitional housing program for patients with severe and persistent mental illness. Community Mental Health Journal, 50 (5), 538-547. doi: 10.1007/s10597-013-9654-y
2013
Other Outputs
Estimating the prevalence and cost of psychotropic medication use attributable to appropriate psychiatric indications
Harris, Meredith, Diminic, Sandra, Carstensen, Georgia, Hollingworth, Samantha, Siskind, Dan, Scheurer, Roman and Burgess, Philip (2013). Estimating the prevalence and cost of psychotropic medication use attributable to appropriate psychiatric indications. North Sydney, NSW, Australia: New South Wales Ministry of Health.
2013
Other Outputs
Estimating mental health service demand among Australians aged 16-85 years without a 12-month affective or anxiety disorder
Harris, Meredith and Diminic, Sandra (2013). Estimating mental health service demand among Australians aged 16-85 years without a 12-month affective or anxiety disorder. North Sydney, NSW, Australia: New South Wales Ministry of Health.
2013
Journal Article
Suicidal behaviours during treatment for first-episode psychosis: towards a comprehensive approach to service-based prevention
Fedyszyn, Izabela E., Robinson, Jo, Harris, Meredith G., Paxton, Susan J., Francey, Shona and Edwards, Jane (2013). Suicidal behaviours during treatment for first-episode psychosis: towards a comprehensive approach to service-based prevention. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 8 (4), 387-395. doi: 10.1111/eip.12084
2013
Journal Article
Estimating remission from untreated major depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Whiteford, H. A., Harris, M. G., McKeon, G., Baxter, A., Pennell, C., Barendregt, J. J. and Wang, J. (2013). Estimating remission from untreated major depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 43 (8), 1569-1585. doi: 10.1017/S0033291712001717
2013
Journal Article
Mental health service system improvement: translating evidence into policy
Whiteford, Harvey, Harris, Meredith and Diminic, Sandra (2013). Mental health service system improvement: translating evidence into policy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 47 (8), 703-706. doi: 10.1177/0004867413494867
2013
Other Outputs
Estimating demand for respite care among informal carers of people with mental disorders in Australia
Harris, Meredith, Diminic, Sandra and Marshall, Caroline (2013). Estimating demand for respite care among informal carers of people with mental disorders in Australia. North Sydney, NSW, Australia: New South Wales Ministry of Health.
2013
Journal Article
A retrospective quasi-experimental study of a community crisis house for patients with severe and persistent mental illness
Siskind, Dan, Harris, Meredith, Kisely, Steve, Brogan, James, Pirkis, Jane, Crompton, David and Whiteford, Harvey (2013). A retrospective quasi-experimental study of a community crisis house for patients with severe and persistent mental illness. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 47 (7), 667-675. doi: 10.1177/0004867413484369
2013
Other Outputs
Mental health service cost drivers: an international literature review. Final report for Stage B of the Definition and Cost Drivers for Mental Health Services project. Volume 2
Harris, Meredith, Legge, Nick, Diminic, Sandra, Carstensen, Georgia, McKeon, Gemma, Siskind, Dan, Burgess, Philip, Stewart, Gavin and Whiteford, Harvey (2013). Mental health service cost drivers: an international literature review. Final report for Stage B of the Definition and Cost Drivers for Mental Health Services project. Volume 2. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2013
Other Outputs
Cost drivers and a recommended framework for mental health classification development: Final report for Stage B of the Definition and Cost Drivers for Mental Health Services project. Volume 1
Eagar, Kathy, Green, Janette, Lago, Luise, Blanchard, Megan, Diminic, Sandra and Harris, Meredith (2013). Cost drivers and a recommended framework for mental health classification development: Final report for Stage B of the Definition and Cost Drivers for Mental Health Services project. Volume 1. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2013
Journal Article
A domains-based taxonomy of supported accommodation for people with severe and persistent mental illness
Siskind, Dan, Harris, Meredith, Pirkis, Jane and Whiteford, Harvey (2013). A domains-based taxonomy of supported accommodation for people with severe and persistent mental illness. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48 (6), 875-894. doi: 10.1007/s00127-012-0590-x
2013
Journal Article
Best practice in early psychosis intervention for Australian indigenous communities: Indigenous worker consultation and service model description
Catts, Stanley, O'Toole, Brian, Neil, Amanda, Harris, Meredith, Frost, Aaron, Eadie, Kathy, Evans, Russell, Crissman, Belinda, McClay, Jennifer and Shorey, Travis (2013). Best practice in early psychosis intervention for Australian indigenous communities: Indigenous worker consultation and service model description. Australasian Psychiatry, 21 (3), 249-253. doi: 10.1177/1039856213480532
2013
Other Outputs
Estimating the number of children and parents in families affected by parental mental illness
Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith and Marshall, Caroline (2013). Estimating the number of children and parents in families affected by parental mental illness. North Sydney, NSW, Australia: New South Wales Ministry of Health.
2013
Other Outputs
Stage A final report: defining mental health services for classification purposes. Definition and cost drivers for Mental Health Services project
Whiteford, Harvey, Eagar, Kathy, Harris, Meredith, Diminic, Sandra, Burgess, Philip and Stewart, Gavin (2013). Stage A final report: defining mental health services for classification purposes. Definition and cost drivers for Mental Health Services project. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2013
Conference Publication
Australian parents with mental illness and their dependent children: estimating their number and risk factors for poor child outcomes
Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith, Marshall, Caroline and Stewart, Gavin (2013). Australian parents with mental illness and their dependent children: estimating their number and risk factors for poor child outcomes. In: Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research 2013 Conference, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, (). 4-6 December 2013.
2013
Conference Publication
System-level intersectoral linkages between the mental health and non-clinical support sectors: a systematic, narrative review
Diminic, Sandra, Whiteford, Harvey, McKeon, Gemma, Harris, Meredith and Siskind, Dan (2013). System-level intersectoral linkages between the mental health and non-clinical support sectors: a systematic, narrative review. 8th Health Services and Policy Research Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 2-4 December 2013.
2012
Journal Article
Stimulant use disorders: characteristics and comorbidity in an Australian population sample
Sara, Grant, Burgess, Philip, Harris, Meredith, Malhi, Gin S., Whiteford, Harvey and Hall, Wayne (2012). Stimulant use disorders: characteristics and comorbidity in an Australian population sample. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 46 (12), 1173-1181. doi: 10.1177/0004867412461057
2012
Journal Article
Planning estimates for the provision of core mental health services in Queensland 2007 to 2017
Harris, Meredith G., Buckingham, William J., Pirkis, Jane, Groves, Aaron and Whiteford, Harvey (2012). Planning estimates for the provision of core mental health services in Queensland 2007 to 2017. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 46 (10), 982-994. doi: 10.1177/0004867412452942
2012
Journal Article
Predictors of suicide-related behaviors during treatment following a first episode of psychosis: the contribution of baseline, past, and recent factors
Fedyszyn, I. E., Robinson, J., Harris, M. G., Paxton, S. J. and Francey, S. (2012). Predictors of suicide-related behaviors during treatment following a first episode of psychosis: the contribution of baseline, past, and recent factors. Schizophrenia Research, 140 (1-3), 17-24. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2012.06.022
2012
Journal Article
Planning estimates for the mental health community support sector
Siskind, Dan, Harris, Meredith, Buckingham, Bill, Pirkis, Jane and Whiteford, Harvey (2012). Planning estimates for the mental health community support sector. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 46 (6), 569-580. doi: 10.1177/0004867412443058
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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