Policy research · Mental health · Regional partnerships · Advocacy
Regional mental-health advocacy: local evidence into reform priorities
Bringing local needs evidence, council perspectives and subject expertise together to inform regional mental-health advocacy.
Project context
- Organisation
- Merri-bek City Council · Northern Councils Alliance
- Context
- Local government employment · Regional policy and advocacy
- Practice
- Policy research · Mental health · Regional partnerships · Advocacy
The policy question
Regional mental-health advocacy connects local needs with wider reform and investment decisions. Council evidence and service knowledge can help explain gaps in access and priorities for local communities.
Alisha’s contribution
At Merri-bek, Alisha led regional mental-health advocacy, bringing northern-region councils and subject experts together. She used local needs data and contributed to Northern Councils Alliance submissions on health, wellbeing and mental-health reform.
Advice and advocacy
Her work included developing advocacy papers and advocating for investment in local mental-health services. The contribution described here concerns evidence, coordination and policy submissions; subsequent funding and reform decisions belong to the relevant decision-makers.
Connecting policy with inclusion
The work sits within her broader community wellbeing practice, considering access to support alongside social and economic conditions, service gaps and community evidence.
Contribution, evidence and limits
This account describes Alisha’s contribution in the project context identified above. Read the role credits and source links alongside the account. Prior Council employment and partner-led work inform Soft Infrastructure’s practice; they are not presented as new consulting commissions. Outputs and activities are described where documented. No additional measured outcomes or causal impact are inferred.