PhD Scholarship – Integrated Care for Co-occurring Mental Illness and Addiction

PhD Scholarship – Integrated Care for Co-occurring Mental Illness and Addiction

Job No.: 676262

Location: The Hamilton Centre, Turning Point, 110 Church Street, Richmond

- Drive your own learning at one of the world's top 80 universities
- Take your career in exciting, rewarding directions

About the project

Mental illness and substance use disorders frequently co-occur, with international studies suggesting that up to 50% of individuals experiencing mental illness also face challenges with substance use. Despite this high prevalence, integrated care delivery remains a significant challenge within mental health services. The impact of substance use on mental health outcomes, including increased suicide risk, frequent hospital readmissions, and poorer recovery trajectories, is often underrecognized and inadequately captured in service and system-level data.

This PhD project will examine the integration of care for co-occurring mental illness and addiction within Victorian mental health services. The research will focus on:

- Quality and safety factors in integrated care delivery;
- Pathways of care and service navigation;
- System-level factors impacting treatment accessibility and effectiveness;
- Implementation strategies for improved integrated care.

The project has a strong implementation focus, aiming to directly inform and advance approaches to integrated care within Victoria and nationally.

The Hamilton Centre, Turning Point and Monash University

The successful candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary cohort of researchers and students based at The Hamilton Centre, Turning Point, Australia's leading national addiction treatment, training and research centre, based in Melbourne, Australia. For more information about the important work that The Hamilton Centre does, please visit the website.

Turning Point is affiliated with Eastern Health Clinical School, within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (MNHS) at Monash University. Monash University is a member of Australia's Group of Eight coalition, and is internationally recognised for excellence in research and teaching as one of the world's top 80 universities. Embedded in an ecosystem of health, academia and industry, it delivers the research outcomes, skilled workforce, technology and partnerships to improve human health locally and globally.

Associate Professor Arunogiri is the Clinical Director of the Hamilton Centre, an addiction psychiatrist, and a clinician-researcher. She is an Associate Professor at Monash University and Turning Point, with over 50 publications and $18M in grant funding. She has extensive experience working across alcohol and other drug (AOD) and mental health services, with a research focus on co-occurring mental health and addiction, and clinical research into novel treatments for substance use disorders.

Professor Mills is a Professor and Director of Early Intervention and Treatment Research at The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney. Her award-winning program of work focuses on improving our understanding of the relationship between mental health and substance use disorders, evaluating innovative treatment approaches, and improving the translation of research into practice.

Minimum Requirements

- Hold relevant qualifications and/or experience in mental health, public health, or related disciplines
- Have clinical or service delivery experience in mental health and/or addiction (desirable)
- With lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use, as a consumer or carer (desirable)
- Demonstrate strong analytical and research skills
- Show commitment to improving mental health service delivery
- Have excellent written and verbal communication skills

To express your interest in this scholarship and PhD research opportunity, we request candidates provide:

- A cover letter describing your research interests and why you would like to undertake a PhD (maximum one page)
- A CV including qualifications, academic achievements, list of publications, work history and references

Monash University recognises that its Australian campuses are located on the unceded lands of the people of the Kulin nations, and pays its respects to their elders, past and present.

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