
Overview
Background
Sandra Diminic is a Principal Research Fellow at Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR) and leads the Mental Health Services Research stream. She has qualifications in psychology and public health and her PhD focused on understanding the service needs of carers and families of people with mental illness. Before joining QCMHR Sandra worked on the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank and interned in Mental Health Policy and Service Development at the World Health Organization; she has also been a visiting scholar at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto.
Sandra's research aims to reduce the population burden of mental illness through understanding demand for and utilisation of mental health services, identifying and evaluating evidence-based mental health service models, and applying these findings to improve mental health systems and services. This research program involves close collaboration with health system partners such as national and state governments, Primary Health Networks, and community organisations to provide evidence and advice to support integrated regional and national mental health service planning. Current major projects include development and application of the National Mental Health Service Planning Framework (NMHSPF) and Australian Suicide Prevention Planning Model (AuSPPM), needs-based planning tools which model population needs and required care to produce resource targets for optimal mental health and suicide prevention service delivery in Australia. Sandra also leads projects drawing on population surveys and health service administrative data to understand current mental health service delivery and identify service gaps for specific regions and populations.
Availability
- Dr Sandra Diminic is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Sandra Diminic’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Taking a Strengths‐Based Approach to Mental Health in Rural Communities: What Is the Evidence for Harnessing Strengths?
Luebbe, Annika, Diminic, Sandra, Rutherford, Zoe, Roovers, Hannah, Patel, Mikesh and Whiteford, Harvey (2025). Taking a Strengths‐Based Approach to Mental Health in Rural Communities: What Is the Evidence for Harnessing Strengths?. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 33 (3) e70061, e70061-3. doi: 10.1111/ajr.70061
2025
Other Outputs
Improving mental healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: new research findings
Zhou, Xiaoyun, Diminic, Sandra and Bainbridge, Roxanne (2025, 05 21). Improving mental healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: new research findings Croakey Health Media
2025
Conference Publication
What proportion of adolescents would benefit the most from selective suicide prevention strategies in Australia?
Wright, Eryn, Pagliaro, Claudia, Wailan, Manuel and Diminic, Sandra (2025). What proportion of adolescents would benefit the most from selective suicide prevention strategies in Australia?. National Suicide Prevention Conference, Perth, WA, United States, 20-22 May 2025.
2025
Other Outputs
Disparities in access to and utilisation of Medicare subsidised telehealth mental health services by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in Southeast Queensland
Zhou, Xiaoyun, Smith, Anthony C., Nelson, Carmel, Suetani, Shuichi, Frazer, Randall, Borton, Tamsyn, Potgieter, Rayno, Basit, Tabinda, Williams, Hayley, Liu, Yan, Zhang, Lihong, Hou, Xiang-Yu, Bainbridge, Roxanne, Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra (2025). Disparities in access to and utilisation of Medicare subsidised telehealth mental health services by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in Southeast Queensland. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/kjs42_v1
2025
Other Outputs
Factors associated with Medicare mental health services access and frequency of utilisation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children in Southeast Queensland
Zhou, Xiaoyun, Pagliaro, Claudia, Wailan, Manuel, Suetani, Shuichi, Basit, Tabinda, Frazer, Randall, Nelson, Carmel, Liu, Yan, Zhang, Lihong, Bainbridge, Roxanne, Hou, Xiang-Yu, Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra (2025). Factors associated with Medicare mental health services access and frequency of utilisation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children in Southeast Queensland. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/2ydwx_v1
2025
Other Outputs
Patterns in the access, utilisation and budget allocation of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) psychosocial support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with mental health needs: a case study from Southeast Queensland
Zhou, Xiaoyun, Pagliaro, Claudia, Wailan, Manuel, Nelson, Carmel, Suetani, Shuichi, Frazer, Randall, Borton, Tamsyn, Potgieter, Rayno, Basit, Tabinda, Williams, Hayley, Liu, Yan, Zhang, Lihong, Hou, Xiang-Yu, Bainbridge, Roxanne, Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra (2025). Patterns in the access, utilisation and budget allocation of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) psychosocial support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with mental health needs: a case study from Southeast Queensland. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6543013/v1
2025
Other Outputs
Effectiveness, facilitators and barriers of digital mental health services for First Nations Peoples in Australia: A systematic review
Zhai, Siyu, Goodman, Andrew, Smith, Anthony C., Diminic, Sandra and Zhou, Xiaoyun (2025). Effectiveness, facilitators and barriers of digital mental health services for First Nations Peoples in Australia: A systematic review. doi: 10.1101/2025.04.27.25326251
2025
Journal Article
Estimating population‐based need for lifestyle interventions among young adults with mental disorders in Australia
Gossip, Kate, John, Julie, Comben, Charlotte, Page, Imogen, Erskine, Holly E., Scott, James G. and Diminic, Sandra (2025). Estimating population‐based need for lifestyle interventions among young adults with mental disorders in Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34 (2) e70034, 1-10. doi: 10.1111/inm.70034
2025
Book Chapter
Shaping national mental health policy
Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra (2025). Shaping national mental health policy. Oxford textbook of community mental health. (pp. 333-340) edited by Graham Thornicroft, Robert E. Drake, Oye Gureje, Kim T. Mueser and George Szmukler. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med/9780198898818.003.0032
2024
Journal Article
Taking a strengths-based approach to mental health in rural communities: a systematic literature review
Luebbe, Annika, Rutherford, Zoe, Diminic, Sandra, Roovers, Hannah, Patel, Mikesh and Whiteford, Harvey (2024). Taking a strengths-based approach to mental health in rural communities: a systematic literature review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 48 (6) 100201, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100201
2024
Conference Publication
Is telehealth associated with more mental health service utilisation by urban Indigenous Australians?
Zhou, Xiaoyun, Smith, Anthony, Bainbridge, Roxanne, Hou, Xiang-Yu and Diminic, Sandra (2024). Is telehealth associated with more mental health service utilisation by urban Indigenous Australians?. 24th Successes and Failures in Telehealth Conference (SFT-24), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 13-15 November 2024. Brisbane, QLD, Australia:
2024
Journal Article
Policy implications of the 2020–22 Australian study of mental health and wellbeing
Teesson, Maree, Whiteford, Harvey, Bower, Marlee, Smout, Scarlett, Burgess, Philip, Harris, Meredith G., Pirkis, Jane, Diminic, Sandra, Baillie, Andrew, Slade, Tim and Chapman, Cath (2024). Policy implications of the 2020–22 Australian study of mental health and wellbeing. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 59 (6), 48674241292961-492. doi: 10.1177/00048674241292961
2024
Journal Article
Do non‐clinical services help to improve functional outcomes among young adults with mental disorders? a systematic review
Gossip, Kate, John, Julie, Comben, Charlotte, Erskine, Holly E., Scott, James G. and Diminic, Sandra (2024). Do non‐clinical services help to improve functional outcomes among young adults with mental disorders? a systematic review. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 18 (10), 773-788. doi: 10.1111/eip.13606
2024
Journal Article
Estimating levels of mental health service need by small geographic area: A case study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults living in South East Queensland
Page, Imogen S., Pagliaro, Claudia, Ferrari, Alize J., Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra (2024). Estimating levels of mental health service need by small geographic area: A case study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults living in South East Queensland. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 48 (5) 100185, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100185
2024
Conference Publication
Development of a forensic mental health service planning model in Australia
Comben, Charlotte, Rutherford, Zoe, Meurk, Carla and Diminic, Sandra (2024). Development of a forensic mental health service planning model in Australia. EPA Section of Epidemiology & Social Psychiatry 2024 Congress, Lausanne, Switzerland, 11-14 September 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Analysis of data items and gaps in Australia's national mental health services activity and capacity data collections for integrated regional service planning
Pagliaro, Claudia, Mundie, Arabella, Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra (2024). Analysis of data items and gaps in Australia's national mental health services activity and capacity data collections for integrated regional service planning. Health Information Management Journal, 53 (3), 206-216. doi: 10.1177/18333583231175770
2024
Journal Article
Suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts among Australian adults: Findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Arya, Vikas, Burgess, Philip, Diminic, Sandra, Harris, Meredith G., Slade, Tim, Sunderland, Matthew, Tapp, Caley, Vescovi, Joshua and Pirkis, Jane (2024). Suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts among Australian adults: Findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 59 (6), 48674241256753-509. doi: 10.1177/00048674241256753
2024
Journal Article
Identifying core mental health services required for adult justice-involved populations in Australia: a Delphi study
Comben, Charlotte, Rutherford, Zoe, Meurk, Carla, John, Julie, Fjeldsoe, Kevin, Gossip, Kate and Diminic, Sandra (2024). Identifying core mental health services required for adult justice-involved populations in Australia: a Delphi study. Psychiatry Psychology and Law, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-28. doi: 10.1080/13218719.2024.2330049
2024
Other Outputs
Evaluation services for the SANE pilot for people with complex mental health needs: Final report
Boyle, Fran, Diminic, Sandra, Chatterton, Mary Lou, Salom, Caroline, Dean, Julie H., Huang, Yanshu, Lee, Yong Yi, Harris, Meredith, Yousef, Noor, Lohan, Aditi, Juckel, Jennifer and Marrington, Shelby (2024). Evaluation services for the SANE pilot for people with complex mental health needs: Final report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2023
Journal Article
Review of Australia’s funding commitments for suicide prevention from 2021–22 to 2026–27
Hu, Di, Comben, Charlotte, Diminic, Sandra and Pagliaro, Claudia (2023). Review of Australia’s funding commitments for suicide prevention from 2021–22 to 2026–27. Australian Health Review, 48 (1), 45-51. doi: 10.1071/ah23176
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Sandra Diminic is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Development of a forensic mental health service planning model
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Mental Health Service Planning in Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford, Associate Professor Meredith Harris
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of non-clinical support services in improving functional outcomes among young adults with mental disorders in Australia: Evidence to inform mental health service planning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Holly Erskine, Professor James Scott
-
Doctor Philosophy
Rural strengths: Local assets, resources, and protective factors to improve rural mental health
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Planning mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults: an analysis of service models, prevalence, and local variation in needs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford, Dr Alize Ferrari
Media
Enquiries
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