Using research to understand frontline workers' mental health. What we know and what questions remain.
Tracks
Monarch Room - In Person Only
| Tuesday, March 3, 2026 |
| 12:55 PM - 1:25 PM |
| Monarch Room |
Overview
Prof Samuel Harvey, Black Dog Institute
Details
Three Key Learnings:
An awareness of key research studies involving frontline workers that have occurred over recent years and the headline takeaways from these studies An understanding of the types of workplace mental health interventions that the research evidence suggests are effective and the types of interventions which the evidence suggests are either not effective or harmful Insights into new treatment trials being conducted with novel treatments, including ketamine and blended digital programs.
An awareness of key research studies involving frontline workers that have occurred over recent years and the headline takeaways from these studies An understanding of the types of workplace mental health interventions that the research evidence suggests are effective and the types of interventions which the evidence suggests are either not effective or harmful Insights into new treatment trials being conducted with novel treatments, including ketamine and blended digital programs.
Speaker
Prof Samuel Harvey
Executive Director And Chief Scientist
Black Dog Institute
Using research to understand frontline workers' mental health. What we know and what questions remain.
Presentation Overview
Frontline workers are at increased risk of a range of mental health problems, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. Over the last decade there has been an unprecedented amount of new research conducted that has sought to understand why some frontline workers develop mental ill health related to their work, the role that organisations can play in modifying the level of risk faced by frontline workers and how new and better treatments can allow more frontline workers to recover from PTSD and other mental health problems.
While the amount of new research being conducted is exciting, it creates challenges for workers, organisation and clinicians in keeping up to date with the latest research and understanding how this maps onto their own practices.
In this presentation I will firstly describe a series of key studies that have been conducted in Australia and internationally. These studies have answered key questions regarding why some workers develop PTSD, what types of training may be helpful in frontline workers, and, as importantly, what types of workplace interventions do not work. New treatments, including ketamine and blended digital approaches have also shown great promise and are beginning to help many frontline workers recover from PTSD.
I will then attempt to provide the audience with key takeaway messages from the latest research, inform the audience about key research currently occurring and conclude with my own observations regarding key practical questions that we urgently need to find answer to.
While the amount of new research being conducted is exciting, it creates challenges for workers, organisation and clinicians in keeping up to date with the latest research and understanding how this maps onto their own practices.
In this presentation I will firstly describe a series of key studies that have been conducted in Australia and internationally. These studies have answered key questions regarding why some workers develop PTSD, what types of training may be helpful in frontline workers, and, as importantly, what types of workplace interventions do not work. New treatments, including ketamine and blended digital approaches have also shown great promise and are beginning to help many frontline workers recover from PTSD.
I will then attempt to provide the audience with key takeaway messages from the latest research, inform the audience about key research currently occurring and conclude with my own observations regarding key practical questions that we urgently need to find answer to.
Biography
Prof Harvey is the Executive Director of the Black Dog Institute and leads Australia's largest program of research focused on the mental health of frontline workers. In addition to his program of research, Prof Harvey continues to work as a psychiatrist and co-leads Australia's National Emergency Worker Support Service. Prof Harvey has been awarded over $45 million in research funding and has published over 200 research publications. His research team has a long track record of co-working with frontline workers and employers to create and test practical solutions for both the prevention and treatment of mental ill health.
