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Mental Health Professionals’ Network

About us

Since 2008, MHPN has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to strengthen the primary health workforce by improving referral pathways and practitioner expertise through the promotion of interdisciplinary practice and collaborative care.

MHPN is unique, in that its activities purposely cross boundaries of discipline, mode of practice (private and public) and location to encourage and foster the development of interdisciplinary collaboration.

W woman holding a clipboard is shaking hands with another woman and smiling

Our purpose

Our purpose is to support and improve interdisciplinary and collaborative care practices between practitioners working in mental health service delivery in Australia.

This is achieved through the delivery of two core programs: the National Networks Program and the Online Professional Development Program, consisting of webinars and podcasts.

A group of men and women sit around a table smiling and talking

Our people

The Board

The MHPN Board consists of representatives of the four member organisations and is guided by an independent Chair. The Board brings a wealth of interdisciplinary experience to their role of overseeing MHPN’s operations and governance.

Adrian Armitage head shot
Australian College of Mental Health Nurses
Zena Burgess headshot
Australian Psychological Society
anonymous
Australian Psychological Society
Stephan Groombridge headshot
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Sharon McGowan headshot
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
Sonia Miller headshot
The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses
Associate Professor Morton Rawlin head shot
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
anonymous
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists

The MHPN team

MHPN’s team are enthusiastic about improving the mental health landscape in Australia. We work together to support our two flagship programs, the National Networks Program and the Online Professional Development Program.

Chris Gibbs headshot
Chief Executive Officer
Amanda Osciak headshot
Senior Project Officer
Belinda McDowall head shot
Manager, Program Coordination & Infrastructure
Elyse Arnel headshot
Communications & Digital Marketing Officer
Emma Ussing headshot
Networks Project Officer
Data and Systems Improvement Manager
Digital Producer
Jacqui O'Loughlin headshot
National Networks Program Team Leader
Jeanne Triol headshot
Networks Project Officer
Manager, Webinar Program
Kate Hoppe headshot
Manager, Marketing, Communications & Strategic Projects
Lauren Davidson headshot
Program Administration Officer
Manibha Malla head shot
Networks Project Officer
Nicky Bisogni headshot
Manager Podcasts & Special Projects
Sonya Harris headshot
Reporting, Data and Information Coordinator
Tessa Harrison headshot
Communications & Digital Marketing Officer
Trent Edlin headshot
Webinars Project Officer
Trevor Donegan headshot
Finance Manager & Company Secretary
Yi Zhai headshot
Networks Project Officer
A woman faces a computer screen with a grid of peoples faces on it in an online meeting
Three women stand in a bright office buidling holding books or tablet devices, smiling and talking

Our impact

In the 2022-23 year, more than 30,000 attendances were recorded collectively across network meetings, webinar broadcasts and the 2023 online conference. In addition, more than 79,000 views of webinar recordings and podcast listens were noted.

All up this equates to MHPN delivering producing 73,780 hours of interdisciplinary networking and professional development activity across the year.

Member & partner organisations

Four member organisations and four partner organisations actively support MHPN and have been integral to the organisation’s success. They are respectively: Australian Psychological Society, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses; and Australian Association of Social Workers, Occupational Therapy Australia, and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.

MHPN acknowledges and thanks each organisation for their continued support.

Partner with MHPN

MHPN has a proud history of partnering with a range of like-minded organisations to deliver interdisciplinary professional development, peer support and networking opportunities to practitioners across the country (and sometimes beyond!). We have recently, or are currently collaborating with Emerging Minds, Comcare, Black Rainbow, Phoenix Australia, and the National Eating Disorders Collaboration.

people sitting in a meeting

The Mental Health Professionals’ Network (MHPN) respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri and the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin nation, the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which our office is situated. We also acknowledge Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.