Committee

Conference Chair

Dr Norman Barling Ph.D MAPS

Dr Norm Barling is a Private Practitioner based in Queensland and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society Colleges of Clinical and Forensic Psychologists.

 Norm was a university educator in Psychology for over 36 years, initially at the University of Ballarat, and later as an Associate Professor at Bond University. He continues to pursue his interests in education and professional development by contributing his expertise to the annual International Mental Health Conference.

His interest in Rural and Remote Mental Health issues developed during the 23 years he spent at the University of Ballarat and his involvement in their Institute of Regional and Rural Research.

Professor Don Gorman, Director RN(EndMH), DipNEd, BEd, MEd, EdD, FANZCMHN, FRCNA.

Don is Professor (Mental Health) and Director, Centre for Rural & Remote Area Health, a joint University of Southern Queensland and University of Queensland research centre and Visiting Professor to the University of Barcelona.

Research Focus on rural health, especially mental health and Indigenous health with an emphasis on research that builds the capacity of communities to cope with adversity.

Examples of projects include:

• Learning from the experts: Building bridges to implement successful life promotion and suicide prevention expertise across Aboriginal communities.

• Enhancing the knowledge and skills of Advisory and Extension Agents in mental health issues of farmers.

• Rural men getting through adversity: Stories of resilience

Dr Keith Miller - Flinders University

Keith has worked as a social worker with the Murray Mallee General Practice Network, developing and implementing a suicide prevention project amongst health practitioners in the Hills Mallee Southern regions of South Australia. He also worked in a number of projects in the area of mental health with the Hills Mallee Southern Regional Health Service. One of these projects was the Lower Murray Farm Support Program.

Keith completed a PhD in 2005, entitled “The Suicidal Journey”, in which he considered the process followed by a person contemplating suicide and which culminated in the suicide completion. Some of his other research interests include engaging practitioners in the research process, and social planning amongst rural and Indigenous communities.

Keith maintains involvement as a member of the Rural Community Engagement Reference Group with the SA Farmers’ Federation, he is on the National Board of Suicide Prevention Australia, and a member of the Complex Trauma Assessment Committee with the Noarlunga Health Service.
 

Peter Sugg - Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association