Louise Byrne

Dr Louise Byrne

Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow

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Louise Byrne faces forward and is smiling

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Louise Byrne faces forward and is smiling

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Louise is recognised internationally as a thought leader in the area of Lived Experience workforce development and is informed by her own lived experience.

Overview

Dr Louise Byrne is a Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow at RMIT, previously awarded the prestigious Fulbright fellowship, to conduct research on the Lived Experience workforce in the United States, while based at Yale University. Louise has a continuing Associate Professor Adjunct position at Yale in the Program for Recovery and Community Health.

Louise is recognised internationally as a thought leader in the area of Lived Experience workforce development. Louise has led arguably the most comprehensive program of research on Lived Experience workforce development globally and has been awarded several times for outstanding contributions to research and teaching, held expert/advisory roles with State and National Mental Health Commissions and led policy development at State and National levels.

Prior to beginning her academic journey, Louise worked in designated lived experience positions since 2004. Her work is informed by her own lived and living expertise and her experience in a range of designated work roles across sectors and settings.

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Industry experience

Louise has a firm commitment to industry based, industry relevant research and believes effective engagement, relationship building and collaboration with industry and other stakeholders is essential for best practice research outcomes. Louise maintains numerous ongoing collaborations with State and National Commissions, Government departments and significant Non-government organisations.

Recently, Louise led the writing and research for the:

The National Guidelines were an action of the Fifth National Mental Health Plan and the first national policy document for this workforce.

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Research

Louise's research interests include the lived experience/peer workforce (mental health, alcohol and other drugs, suicide prevention and other diverse experiences) with an emphasis on workforce development. Louise also conducts research focused on mental health reform, recovery principles, professional capacity building in health and diversity/inclusion employment.

Research keywords

Lived Experience Workforce, Peers, Consumers, Mental Health Reform, Recovery, Diversity and Inclusion

Research output summary

41

Publications

13

Projects

12

Awards

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Supervisor interest areas

  • Lived experience workforce
  • Peer work
  • Mental health reform
  • Mental health in the workplace

Feature publications

Effective Peer Employment Within Multidisciplinary Organizations: Model for Best Practice

Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research

Byrne, L., Roennfeldt, H., Wolf, J., Linfoot, A., Foglesong, D., Davidson, L., & Bellamy, C. (2021). 

How mental health care should change as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic

Lancet Psychiatry

J. Krystal, L. J., J. Lieberman, C. López-Jaramillo, M. Männikkö, M. R. Phillips, H. Uchida, E. Vieta, A. Vita and C. Arango (2020).

If not now, when? COVID-19, lived experience, and a moment for real change

Lancet Psychiatry

Jones, N., L. Byrne, S. Carr (2020).

Key publications by year

  • Byrne, L., Roennfeldt, H., Wang, Y., & O'Shea, P., "You don’t know what you don’t know’: The essential role of management exposure, understanding and commitment in peer workforce development International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. (2019) 28, 572–581
  • Byrne, L., Roper, C., Happell, B., & Reid-Searl, K. The stigma of identifying as having a lived experience runs before me: Challenges for lived experience roles. Journal of Mental Health (2019) 28, 260-266.

  • Byrne, L., Roennfeldt, H., O'Shea, P., & Macdonald, F. Taking a gamble for high rewards? Management perspectives on the value of mental health peer workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, (2018) 15, 746.
  • Byrne, L., Stratford, A., & Davison, L. The global need for lived experience leadership. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. (2018) 41, 76-79.
  • Byrne, L., Schoeppe, S., Bradshaw, J. Recovery without autonomy: Progress forward or more of the same for mental health service users? International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. (2018) 27, 1459-1469.

  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., & Reid-Searl, K. Risky Business: Lived experience mental health practice, nurses as potential allies. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2017) 26, 285–292.
  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., & Reid-Searl, K. Acknowledging rural disadvantage in mental health: Views of peer workers. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, (2017) 53, 259–265.
  • Byrne, L. Lived experience and personal narrative: pathways to connection. Text: Journal of writing and writing course, (2017) 38, 1-11.

  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., & Reid-Searl, K. Lived experience practitioners and the medical model: World’s colliding? Journal of Mental Health, (2016) 25, 217-223.

  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., & Reid-Searl, K. Recovery as a lived experience discipline: A grounded theory study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, (2015) 36, 935-943.
  • Happell, B., Platania-Phung, C., Byrne, L., Wynaden, D., Martin, G., & Harris, S. Consumer participation in nurse education: A national survey of Australian universities. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2015) 24, 95-103.
  • Happell, B., Byrne, L., Platania-Phung, C. The recovery knowledge inventory for measurement of nursing student views on recovery-oriented mental health services. Issues in Mental Health Nursing (2015) 36, 799-808.
  • Happell, B., Wynaden, D., Tohotoa, J., Platania-Phung, C., Byrne, L., Martin, G., & Harris, S. Mental health lived experience academics in tertiary education: The views of nurse academics. Nurse Education Today. (2015) 35, 113-117.
  • Happell, B., Bennetts, W., Harris, S., Platania-Phung, C., Tohotoa, J., & Byrne, L. Lived experience in teaching mental health nursing: Issues of fear and power. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2015) 24, 19-27.
  • Happell, B., Gaskin, C. J., Byrne, L., & Welch, A. Clinical placements in mental health: A literature review. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, (2015) 36, 44-51.
  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., & Platania-Phung, C. Attitudes of nursing students on consumer participation: The effectiveness of the mental health consumer participation questionnaire. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, (2015) 51, 45-51.
  • Happell, B., & Byrne, L. Teaching from lived experience: A way to make mental health nursing more popular? Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, (2015) 22, 32-33.
  • McAllister, M., Wynaden, D., Happell, B., Flynn, T., Walters, V., Duggan, R., Byrne, L., Heslop, L., Gaskin, C. Staff experiences of providing support to students who are managing mental health challenges: A qualitative study from two Australian universities. Advances in Mental Health, (2015) 12, 192-201.

  • Wynaden, D., McAllister, M., Tohotoa, J., Omari, O. A., Heslop, K., Duggan, R., Marray, S., Happell, B., & Byrne, L. The silence of mental health issues within university environments: A quantitative study. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, (2014) 28, 339-344.
  • Byrne, L., Platania-Phung, C., Happell, B., Harris, S., & Bradshaw, B. Changing nursing students’ attitudes to consumer participation in mental health services: A survey study of traditional and lived experience-led education. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, (2014) 35, 704-712.
  • Happell, B., Byrne, L., Platania-Phung, C., Harris, S., Bradshaw, J., & Davies, J. Lived-experience participation in nurse education: Reducing stigma and enhancing popularity. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2014) 23, 427-434.
  • Byrne, L., Wilson, M., Burke, K., Gaskin, C. & Happell, B. Mental health service delivery: A profile of mental health non-government organisations in South East Queensland, Australia. Australian Health Review, (2014) 38, 202-207.
  • Happell, B., Byrne, L., McAllister, M., Lampshire, D., Roper, C., Gaskin, C. J., Martin, G., Wynaden, D., McKenna, B., Lakeman, R., Platania-Phung, C., Hamer, H. Consumer involvement in the tertiary-level education of mental health professionals: A systematic review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2014) 23, 3-16.

  • Byrne, L., & Happell, B., Innovation in mental health nursing education. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, (2013) 21(4), 47-47.
  • Happell, B., Welch, T., Moxham, L., Byrne, L. Keeping the flame alight: Understanding and enhancing interest in mental health nursing as a career. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, (2013) 27, 161-165.
  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., Welch, A., & Moxham, L., J. Reflecting on holistic nursing: The contribution of an academic with lived experience of mental health service use. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, (2013) 34, 265-272.
  • Byrne, L., Happell, B., Welch, A., & Moxham, L., J. Things you can’t learn from books: Teaching recovery from a lived experience perspective. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2013) 22, 195-204.
  • Byrne, L. & Happell, B. Psychiatrists teaching mental health nursing: What's the problem? International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, (2012) 21, 299-300.
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Feature projects

National Peer Workforce Development Guidelines

For the National Mental Health Commission

CIs: Byrne, L., Wang, L., Chapman, M., Roennfeldt, H., Darwin, L.

2019 - 2020

Queensland lived experience workforce development framework

For Queensland Mental Health Commission

CIs: Byrne, L. & Wang, L.

2018

Explore the factors that support effective employment of peer roles within multi-disciplinary mental health service delivery

For Australian Fulbright Commission and RMIT Fulbright Fellowship

CI: Byrne, L.

2017 - 2020

Key projects by year

  • 2020-2022 A Collaborative Approach to Preventing and Responding to Risks which Contribute to Psychological ill Health in Manufacturing in Victoria Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU)
  • 2020-2024 Challenging stigma and creating accepting work cultures for people with mental health issues: the role of lived experience RMIT Senior Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellowship. CI Byrne, L.

  • 2019-2020 National Peer Workforce Development Guidelines for the National Mental Health Commission. CIs: Byrne, L., Wang, L., Chapman, M., Roennfeldt, H., Darwin, L.

  • 2018 Queensland lived experience workforce development framework for Queensland Mental Health Commission. CIs: Byrne, L. & Wang, L.
  • 2018 Developing a model for peer support in emergency departments for Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne CIs: Brophy, L., Hamilton, B., Martel, A., Hill, N., Castle, D., Stratford, A., Buchanan-Hagen, S., Byrne, L., Davidson, L.

  • 2017-2020 Explore the factors that support effective employment of peer roles within multi-disciplinary mental health service delivery for Australian Fulbright Commission and RMIT Fulbright Fellowship. CI Byrne, L.
  • 2017-2019 Caring for carers of people with dementia: Harnessing innovation through deploying leading edge technologies to enable virtual support groups and services for Dementia and Aged Care Services. CIs: Parkinson, L., Banbury, A., Livingstone, A., Byrne, L., Gordon, S., Ray, B., Doran, C,
  • 2017 Peer Workforce Expansion within Central Queensland for Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast Public Health Network. CI Byrne, L.

  • 2016 Identifying barriers to change: the lived experience worker as a valued member of the mental health team for Queensland Mental Health Commission. CI: Byrne, L.

  • 2013 Establishment of a service agreement for the development and implementation of innovative solutions for clinical training placements for Queensland Health. Cis Welch, A., McAllister, M., Happell, B., Byrne, L., Moran, M., Chapman, M. & Connor, J.

  • 2012 An exploration of the experiences of University staff working with students who are managing a mental health problem for Co-operative research grant scheme. CIs McAllister, M., Wynaden, D., Happell, B. & Byrne, L.

  • 2011 Consumer and Health Professional Capacity Building Project for Capricornia Division of General Practice. CIs Happell, B. & Byrne, L.
  • 2011 Service delivery models and consumer participations strategies in SEQ mental health NGOs, for Queensland Alliance CIs Happell, B. & Byrne, L.
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Awards

Louise Byrne award photo

The Mental Health Services Award of Australia and New Zealand

in the Early Career Research Category for Best Practice, The Mental Health Services Learning Network

Award date: 2019

Recipients: Louise Byrne


Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship

Award date: 2017

Recipients: Louise Byrne

Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Award (Individual Award)

Award date: 2015

Recipients: Louise Byrne

Key awards by year

University

  • 2021 Research Impact and Collaboration Team Award, RMIT

National

  • 2019 The Mental Health Services Award of Australia and New Zealand in the Early Career Research Category for Best Practice, The Mental Health Services Learning Network

University

  • 2018 Research Excellence Award, RMIT, School of Management

International

  • 2017 Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship (National)

University

  • 2016 Publication Recognition Award, CQUniversity

State

  • 2015 Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Award, Individual Award

University

  • 2014 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Learning and Teaching, CQUniversity

State

  • 2013 Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Award, Organisational Award

 

University

  • 2013 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Good Practice in Learning and Teaching, CQUniversity
  • 2013 Commendation - Student Voice Award for Distance Educator of the Year, CQUniversity
  • 2013 Opal Awards Finalist, CQUniversity (Community Engagement)

State

  • 2010 PhD Co-funded Industry Scholarship, Queensland Health and CQUniversity
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Public and media engagements

2019

2017

2016

2014

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.