What the Royal Commission said
The Royal Commission identified opportunities to improve the current mental health and wellbeing system.
These include:
- ensuring that research has a direct impact on services or health outcomes for people
- connecting research, training organisations and services around a shared purpose and vision
- developing clear processes for monitoring and improving programs and services.
It recommended a new Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
The Collaborative Centre will:
- lead best practice for the inclusion of people with lived experience across the mental health system
- conduct interdisciplinary research to guide new treatments and services
- educate the mental health workforce through practice improvement, training and professional development programs
- work with services and research organisations in rural and regional areas.
The recommendation is linked to Recommendation 63 and Recommendation 64.
What we’ve delivered
- Established the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (the Collaborative Centre).
- As part of the Collaborative Centre’s new whole-of-workforce capability function, it is responsible for statewide mental health and wellbeing workforce development functions, as of 1 July 2025, and program management functions of the Lived and Living Experience Workforce Development Program, as of 1 September 2025.
These changes create more opportunities to work alongside other mental health workforce initiatives and use the Collaborative Centre’s research expertise to better understand and improve workforce development outcomes. - In addition, the Collaborative Centre launched their Translational Research Strategy 2024-2027 and their Strategic Plan 2024-27, which includes building a sustainable workforce as a key focus area.
What we’re doing
The Collaborative Centre is governed by an independent board, which includes lived experience representation.
- The Collaborative Centre's functions are set out in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022.
The Collaborative Centre has two lead partners, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne, and is supported by a network of mental health and research collaborators.
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