What is “Research and Evaluation of Mental Health and Employment”?
The “Research and Evaluation of Mental Health and Employment” forms part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006 - 2011. This initiative includes funding for research into the relationship between mental illness and employment.Responsibility rests with the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Why is this important?
The measure is helping to fill the gap in knowledge and evidence regarding what is effective in assisting people with mental illness to find and keep a job.Who will benefit?
Job seekers and employees with mental illness will benefit from more effective services and practices to assist them to find and keep a job.Employment Services Providers have access to increased evidence on effective ways of assisting people with mental illness into employment.
Employers will also benefit from more informed employment service providers who are assisting them and their employees with mental illness.
What will the “Research and Evaluation of Mental Health and Employment deliver”?
The “Research and Evaluation of Mental Health and Employment” will increase the evidence base about what is effective in assisting people with mental illness to find and retain employment.Top of page
Independent research consultants were engaged by DEEWR to complete the projects. Some of the key projects which have been finalised include:
- A literature review of the latest research on employment assistance for people with mental illness. The literature review identifies and describes models of employment assistance for people with mental illness and discusses good practice in relation to assisting people with mental illness into employment.
- A project to improve the communication between general practitioners, Government agencies and employment service providers to help general practitioners support people with mental illness to remain engaged in employment.
- A project to identify and describe strategies being used by employers in Australia to recruit and retain people with mental illness and to manage the impact of mental illness on their organisations. The project analysed the potential of these strategies to benefit other employers in Australia.
- Qualitative research with Human Resource managers and Chief Executive Officers to determine attitudes to employing people with mental illness and the best possible approach to promoting the recruitment and retention of people with mental illness to this target group.
What funding is the Australian Government committing?
$5 million over three years for research and evaluation of mental health and employment.When did the Research and Evaluation of Mental Health and Employment start?
The research and evaluation projects commenced in June 2007.Further information
For further information on the research projects: www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/ResearchStatistics/Pages/COAGmentalhealth.aspxFor information and practical resources for people with a disability in employment - JobAccess
For more information on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and employment services
For general information on jobs and employment
Page currency, Latest update: 17 March, 2011