The Murrumbidgee Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Alliance’s Innovative Pathway to Inclusive Mental Health Support
Tracks
Harbour View 1 - In-Person Only
| Thursday, November 6, 2025 |
| 2:25 PM - 2:45 PM |
Overview
Anita McRae and Robyn Manzie, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network
Presenter
Ms Robyn Manzie
Independent Chair
Murrumbidgee MHDA Alliance
The Murrumbidgee Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Alliance’s Innovative Pathway to Inclusive Mental Health Support
Presentation Overview
The Murrumbidgee Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Alliance is a unique and innovative region-wide group of passionate and innovative thinking consumers, carers and service providers who are focussed on consumer outcomes, not organisational outcomes. Consumers are at the table and central to the work of developing and implementing pathways to inclusive and accessible mental health, suicide prevention, and drug and alcohol supports for people in the Murrumbidgee communities.
The Alliance formed in 2015 with 11 organisations signing a Memorandum of Understanding, there has been a maturation of the Alliance as well as continued strong and growing membership with monthly meetings occurring over the 10 years. Membership includes people with lived and living experience and now has 25 funded mental health, suicide prevention and drug and alcohol service providers who deliver services across the region.
The Alliance has a strategic, region-wide and robust approach to priority setting, population-based planning, undertaking innovation projects such as a common referral form, identifying gaps, and working together to ensure consumers, carers, family and kin have access to the support they need regardless of their entry point into the Murrumbidgee service system.
The unique value proposition of the Alliance is the ability to have people with lived and living experience and service providers at the table together working collaboratively, having robust discussions and working to address the challenges people with mental health, suicidality and drug and alcohol issues experience in our region when trying to access services. As we know people living in rural areas experience additional barriers, however the Alliance harnesses the strengths of rural people and communities by leveraging strong partnerships, working from a collaborative mindset and employing the rural can-do attitude, allowing the Alliance to progress its valuable work of ensuring the services across the region are inclusive and accessible in all facets.
The Alliance formed in 2015 with 11 organisations signing a Memorandum of Understanding, there has been a maturation of the Alliance as well as continued strong and growing membership with monthly meetings occurring over the 10 years. Membership includes people with lived and living experience and now has 25 funded mental health, suicide prevention and drug and alcohol service providers who deliver services across the region.
The Alliance has a strategic, region-wide and robust approach to priority setting, population-based planning, undertaking innovation projects such as a common referral form, identifying gaps, and working together to ensure consumers, carers, family and kin have access to the support they need regardless of their entry point into the Murrumbidgee service system.
The unique value proposition of the Alliance is the ability to have people with lived and living experience and service providers at the table together working collaboratively, having robust discussions and working to address the challenges people with mental health, suicidality and drug and alcohol issues experience in our region when trying to access services. As we know people living in rural areas experience additional barriers, however the Alliance harnesses the strengths of rural people and communities by leveraging strong partnerships, working from a collaborative mindset and employing the rural can-do attitude, allowing the Alliance to progress its valuable work of ensuring the services across the region are inclusive and accessible in all facets.
Biography
Robyn is currently the Independent Chair of the Murrumbidgee Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Alliance.
Previously, Robyn had a long career in MH and D&A services in the NSW Public Sector, with eleven years as the Director of MHDA for the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
Robyn’s driving motivation has been to improve the services available by working in partnership with people with lived/living experience and their carers, using their expertise to improve services, and to working with First Nations People to develop services that respect culture and are effective for First Nations people.
Ms Anita McRae
Senior Manager Priority Populations
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network
The Murrumbidgee Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Alliance’s Innovative Pathway to Inclusive Mental Health Support
Presentation Overview
The Murrumbidgee Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Alliance is a unique and innovative region-wide group of passionate and innovative thinking consumers, carers and service providers who are focussed on consumer outcomes, not organisational outcomes. Consumers are at the table and central to the work of developing and implementing pathways to inclusive and accessible mental health, suicide prevention, and drug and alcohol supports for people in the Murrumbidgee communities.
The Alliance formed in 2015 with 11 organisations signing a Memorandum of Understanding, there has been a maturation of the Alliance as well as continued strong and growing membership with monthly meetings occurring over the 10 years. Membership includes people with lived and living experience and now has 25 funded mental health, suicide prevention and drug and alcohol service providers who deliver services across the region.
The Alliance has a strategic, region-wide and robust approach to priority setting, population-based planning, undertaking innovation projects such as a common referral form, identifying gaps, and working together to ensure consumers, carers, family and kin have access to the support they need regardless of their entry point into the Murrumbidgee service system.
The unique value proposition of the Alliance is the ability to have people with lived and living experience and service providers at the table together working collaboratively, having robust discussions and working to address the challenges people with mental health, suicidality and drug and alcohol issues experience in our region when trying to access services. As we know people living in rural areas experience additional barriers, however the Alliance harnesses the strengths of rural people and communities by leveraging strong partnerships, working from a collaborative mindset and employing the rural can-do attitude, allowing the Alliance to progress its valuable work of ensuring the services across the region are inclusive and accessible in all facets.
The Alliance formed in 2015 with 11 organisations signing a Memorandum of Understanding, there has been a maturation of the Alliance as well as continued strong and growing membership with monthly meetings occurring over the 10 years. Membership includes people with lived and living experience and now has 25 funded mental health, suicide prevention and drug and alcohol service providers who deliver services across the region.
The Alliance has a strategic, region-wide and robust approach to priority setting, population-based planning, undertaking innovation projects such as a common referral form, identifying gaps, and working together to ensure consumers, carers, family and kin have access to the support they need regardless of their entry point into the Murrumbidgee service system.
The unique value proposition of the Alliance is the ability to have people with lived and living experience and service providers at the table together working collaboratively, having robust discussions and working to address the challenges people with mental health, suicidality and drug and alcohol issues experience in our region when trying to access services. As we know people living in rural areas experience additional barriers, however the Alliance harnesses the strengths of rural people and communities by leveraging strong partnerships, working from a collaborative mindset and employing the rural can-do attitude, allowing the Alliance to progress its valuable work of ensuring the services across the region are inclusive and accessible in all facets.
Biography
Anita’s primary health career started in grass roots mental health support and community development roles. Moving into leadership roles in 2013 provided the opportunity for further skill development in program design, policy and strategy.
Anita is passionate about influencing change and playing a role in program design supporting access high quality, person centred, trauma informed care in the community and for that care to change and adapt with the person. Anita has the privilege of representing MPHN and the broader PHN network on several committees and advisory groups.
