Role
The role of the panel is to provide the Minister for Health with advice on the strategic priorities for research investment through this mission. Its role is to define evidence and knowledge gaps that should be addressed through mission research funding to assist in transforming health care and health outcomes for individuals and communities. This role includes the definition of key research questions that, if answered, will deliver meaningful change to patients through the translation of research.
Panel members will consult and engage with other researchers, industry and consumer/patient groups and participate in media and public activities to build awareness of and facilitate interaction with the mission and with other MRFF-funded research.
Further information on the roles and responsibilities of MRFF Expert Advisory Panels can be found in the MRFF Mission Governance resource.
Members
The Australian Government appoints the Expert Advisory Panel. The Mission’s inaugural panel was Co-Chaired by Professors Shitij Kapur and Helen Milroy and was appointed from October 2018 to October 2020.
The Mission’s second panel was appointed in April 2022 and includes eminent researchers and persons with lived experience of mental illness. The government selected panel members with the skills and experience the mission needs to achieve its objectives.
| Member | Background and experience | Declarations of interest |
|---|---|---|
|
Professor Maree Teesson AC (Chair) |
Professor Teesson is Director of the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney. Professor Teesson was the former National Mental Health Commissioner from 2018 to 2021. |
Director of Climate Schools Pty Ltd. Chair of Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank. |
|
Professor Ian Everall |
Professor Everall is the Executive Director of the WA Health Translational Network, and Medical Advisor – Mental Health Research for the WA Mental Health Commission. |
Nil |
|
Professor Yvonne Cadet-James |
Professor Cadet-James is Research Coordinator of the Apunipima Cape York Health Council. Professor Cadet-James is also Adjunct Professor of the Indigenous Education and Research Centre at James Cook University. Professor Cadet-James is a Gugu Badhun woman from North Queensland. |
Member of Council - National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Chairperson – Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus (PCIC). MRFF and NHMRC funding recipient. |
|
Professor Helen Christensen AO |
Professor Christensen is Professor of Mental Health at the University of New South Wales. Professor Christensen is also the Board Director of the Black Dog Institute. |
Nil |
|
Ms Shannon Calvert |
Ms Calvert is a Lived Experience advisor and Consumer Co-Chair of the National Mental Health Consumer Carer Forum. Ms Calvert is also Executive Committee Member of the Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders. |
Lived Experience Co-Production Co-Lead, Australian Eating Disorder Research and Translation Centre (consortium led by the InsideOut Institute). |
|
Professor Jennifer Hudson |
Professor Hudson is the Director of Research and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Black Dog Institute. |
Nil |
|
Professor Susan Cotton |
Professor Cotton is Head of Health Services and Outcomes Research at Orygen. |
Nil |
|
Professor Lorna Moxham |
Professor Moxham is Professor of Mental Health Nursing at the University of Wollongong. |
Nil |
|
Preamble
The Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission (the Mission) is an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and is providing $125 million over 10 years from 2018-19 to support research on new approaches to mental health prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
This will be the Mission’s second EAP. The term of the Mission’s inaugural Expert Advisory Panel (EAP) came to an end in October 2020.
Purpose of the EAP
The EAP will provide the Minister for Health and Aged Care advice on the strategic priorities for research investment through this Mission.
The role of the EAP is to define evidence and knowledge gaps that should be addressed through Mission research funding to assist in transforming health care and health outcomes for individuals and communities.
EAP Members will consult and engage with other researchers, industry and consumer/patient groups and participate in media and public activities to build awareness of and facilitate interaction with the Mission and with other MRFF funded research.
Key deliverables
The EAP will provide advice on priorities for research investment through the Mission by reviewing the existing Roadmap and developing an Implementation Plan.
When reviewing the Roadmap and developing the Implementation Plan, the EAP must consider the outcomes of the Review of the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission.
Roadmap
The existing Roadmap is to be reviewed to be a high level strategic document for the Mission that includes:
- the aim, vision, goals, challenges, and funding principles for the Mission
- the overarching priorities for investment and approach to implementation.
The review is not intended to change the strategic direction of the Mission, however will bring the Roadmap into alignment with other MRFF Mission Roadmaps and support more detailed articulation of the Mission’s approach through a separate Implementation Plan.
Implementation Plan
This document will support the Roadmap by advising on the:
- priorities for investment in the short, medium and long term (including building on what has already been funded through the Mission)
- opportunities to use additional investment and other research to support the priority areas
- activities required to support the research and facilitate long term implementation
- evaluation approach and measures.
Consultation
An international review and a national public consultation of the draft Roadmap and Implementation Plan will be conducted prior to the finalisation of these documents.
Membership
The EAP will consist of up to nine (9) members including the chair and an international member.
The international member will be a mental health research expert, that is not in an active collaboration with Australian based research and understands the Australian system and relevant activities occurring internationally.
At least one member will be a mental health consumer representative with lived experience of mental ill-health.
All other members will have mental health expertise or experience.
An AMRAB representative will be selected to attend EAP meetings to support the strategic alignment of Mission priorities with the MRFF and collaboration across the eight MRFF Missions
Term
Members will be appointed for the period it takes to finalise development of a roadmap and implementation plan, including a review by an international panel of experts and a national public consultation (no more than 12 months).
Member applications for MRFF funding
Members will be ineligible to apply for funding from the Mission’s grant opportunities that open during the term of the EAP and for one (1) year following the cessation of the EAP. Members will be able to apply for MRFF grant opportunities outside of the Mission during this time.
Logistical arrangements
- EAP meetings will be held on an as required basis and at the discretion of the Chair.
- It is expected that 2-3 meetings will be required to revise the Roadmap and draft an Implementation Plan.
- Following international review and national public consultation of the Roadmap and Implementation Plan, the EAP will meet to finalise the documents.
- If a member is unable to attend, then proxies will not be permitted.
- If required, arrangements will be made to seek agreement to items utilising out-of-sessions arrangements.
- Papers for meetings will be provided to EAP members at least one week prior to the scheduled meeting.
- The Australian Government Department of Health will be the Secretariat for the EAP. For non-urgent inquiries the following email address can be utilised: MRFF@health.gov.au.
Quorum
- Five (5) members of the EAP are required to be in attendance at any meeting for a quorum to be achieved.
- If the Chair is unavailable to attend a scheduled meeting, the AMRAB member, or an identified deputy chair will assume this role.
Declarations of interest
Members must abide by the MRFF Declarations of Interest Policy Statement. The Statement, and supporting documents, enables members to be aware of their obligation to disclose any relevant interests that they may have, and to ensure that they effectively and consistently manage any conflicts of interest. All interests will be published on the MRFF website.
Remuneration
Remuneration is provided for EAP members, with details outlined in the Member’s Instrument of Appointment.
Mission implementation
The EAP will provide the Roadmap and Implementation Plan to the Minister for Health and Aged Care for approval.
The Health and Medical Research Office will use the Roadmap and Implementation Plan to design grant opportunities that address the priorities for investment.
- Grant opportunity guidelines will be published on GrantConnect (www.grants.gov.au)
- Grant administration services will be managed by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Business Grants Hub.
Applications received under each grant opportunity will be evaluated competitively through Grant Assessment Committees comprising Australian and international experts in the field.
Following recommendations from the Grant Assessment Committees, the Government will announce the successful recipients.
Meetings
The panel will meet up to 3 times. Most meeting materials are committee-in-confidence. When possible, we post communications from the panel on this page.
Related committees and groups
The panel reports to the Minister for Health.
We provide secretariat support to the committee.
