Innovative mental health solutions for regional well-being and resilience

As the second largest and most decentralised state in mainland Australia, Queensland possesses population and geographical characteristics that produce unique challenges to the health and resilience of communities outside of its metropolitan centres. Research gaps are apparent in the absence of a comprehensive examination of the unique needs of various regional communities and of health professionals servicing these communities. Significant opportunity exists to integrate digital, innovative and flexible solutions into the provision of health and mental health care services to regional areas, yet little systematic evaluation or attempts at resource dissemination exist. This presentation introduces a newly formed team of researchers from clinical health and mental health backgrounds, as well as experts in digital technologies and online learning systems. It will describe a program of research that represents a consolidation of expertise, collaborations and projects that is uniquely placed to shed light on the health and wellbeing issues of regional communities in Southern Queensland and make meaningful inroads towards amending these. Specifically, it will provide an overview of our program of research that aims to identify unique, local health and mental health needs, as well as building upon these findings to develop and disseminate multi-level assessments, interventions and resources targeting various health and mental health problems at the individual, family and community level. The current program has the potential to bridge significant gaps in locally appropriate health support, resources, and services for regional communities.