Mental health research supported at UQ

UQ’s School of Medicine is set to expand its research activity in the area of workplace stress and trauma, thanks to funding from the Australian Critical Incident Stress Association.

In an attempt to combat the lack of applied Australian research in this field, ACISA has established a $4000 scholarship to support a Master of Mental Health student.
Associate Professor Robert King, who coordinates the UQ Graduate Mental Health Program, accepted the scholarship on behalf of the School of Medicine at a ceremony held on Friday, October 17.

“This is a very welcome initiative and will stimulate some important research in the area of stress and trauma,” Dr King said.

“The scholarship will enable our students to delve into an area of research which is of tremendous importance to both the mental health workforce and the general public.”

Formed in 1990, ACISA is an organisation dedicated to raising the awareness of the problems faced by workers when dealing with stressful and traumatic events.

Employers now to tend to include strategies which protect the physical and psychological well-being of their staff in policy documents, meaning the educational service that ACISA once offered is usually conducted “in house”.

As a result, ACISA is winding back its conference activities, but continues to fund applied Australian research.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be enrolled in the multidisciplinary Master of Mental Health and undertaking a major project in the area of stress and trauma in the community and workplace.

Application forms will be made available in 2009.

Media: Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (07 3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)