Empowering people with serious mental ill health through peer-supported self-management

Research led by A/Prof. Alyssa Milton has found that supported self-management tools for people with serious mental health conditions can reduce symptoms and time spent in hospital, while improving functioning and quality of life. The evidence has informed UK national clinical guidance for treatment of schizophrenia, yet supported self-management remains inconsistently available in Australia. For these approaches to become part of routine care, people with lived experience, peer workers, clinicians and services need to shape both the support offered and how it is delivered.

Through the support of the Sydney Health Partners pilot grant, MyPReP was co-developed with people with serious mental health conditions and peer workers, then piloted in mental health services within Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health Districts. The ongoing project has strengthened the local workforce by training peer workers to support people using the digital recovery plan and building their confidence to help design and evaluate research.

• A/Prof. Milton is now a co-chair of the newly established SHP Mental Health CAG. This project helped shape some of the key principles underpinning the newly established CAG, as it is closely aligned with its focus on strengthening collaborative, translational mental health research across the network including lived experience in decision making across all stages of the research lifecycle.

• $20,000 Implementation Science Pilot Grant awarded in 2023.