As part of Richmond Fellowship Queensland’s (RFQ) ongoing commitment to research and evaluation, Chief Executive Officer Alex Couley announced a dedicated department for RFQ’s activities.
“A dedicated space will ensure the organisation attends appropriately to the ethical nuances involved in research and evaluation specific to the mental health care industry in which we operate,” Mr Couley said.
“This additionally demonstrates RFQ’s commitment to grow and evolve as our client and staff needs change, we are adaptable and using best practices by engaging with a variety of forward-thinkers in this field,” he said.
Peter Davison, Senior Research and Evaluation Officer, will lead the department, providing high-level oversight and support for the many research and evaluation activities RFQ engages in.
“We have a variety of established partnerships with universities and health departments that enable RFQ staff an opportunity to connect with researchers and contribute to research – giving voice to diverse perspectives.
These research projects help to guide policy, governance and treatment options – so it’s an invaluable opportunity for the community and staff to help shape the future of mental health recovery to have a say and help shape the future of mental health delivery,” Mr Davison said.
Alex Brown, Advanced Recovery Support Worker from the Hospital to Home team (H2H) recently met with researchers from Griffith University as part of their proposed movement study, which encourages a six-month funded gym program with an exercise physiologist to improve physical health and document the impacts of this on participants with lived mental health challenges.
“Being able to partner with Griffith and expand the way we assist clients is so beneficial – a lot of the time the goals are based around the home or social interactions, but from my caseload not a lot of emphasis is placed on physical movement as part of recovery process,” Mr Brown said.
“Having access to this six-month gym membership, with professional input and guidance to incorporating physical movement means we can track those health benefits, meet some of their personal goals and encourage sticking to a routine and gym as part of their recovery,” he said.
Stephanie Woodrow, Assistant Area Manager for Metro South said participation in research partnerships enables continuous learning and development for team members.
“These partnerships help lead innovation within RFQ through the sharing of ideas and the knowledge of the academic community – it also allows our staff to have new ideas contributing to social and emotional change,” Ms Woodrow said.
“Through this study, our clients can gain knowledge about appropriate exercise suitable for them and receive free coaching from a professional during this process. This will support them to build their capacity and ability to move forward in their own recovery journey, through identifying tools that support their individual health and wellbeing, and the knowledge to be able to continue this independently following the study,” she said.
The Research & Evaluation Department will collaborate with academia and industry partners to contribute to literature while ensuring RFQ’s services are evidence-based and at the forefront of innovations and developments in psychosocial support. For further information regarding current research projects, please contact Peter Davison via peter.davison@rfq.com.au or (07) 3363 2555.
