Leadership Practice in Mental Health (100301)

Leadership Practice in Mental Health (100301)

Level ~ Masters
Availability ~ Semester 1
Type ~ Core

With increasing diversity and change within the mental health workforce and the requirement for workers to undertake new models of practice within diverse clinical settings, leadership is emerging as one of the most important capabilities for recovery-oriented mental health service delivery. Leadership Practice in Mental Health examines contemporary approaches to leadership and how these relate to the challenges presented by the complex environment of mental health care. Leadership practice is explored from the perspectives of mental health policy and practice, inter-agency collaboration, peer support, consumer advocacy, and workplace culture. Contemporary theories and behavioural models of leadership are explored, drawing on research findings in neuroscience, emotional intelligence competencies, and leadership capability frameworks.


Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an advanced and integrated knowledge of contemporary leadership concepts, theories and models and their application to recovery-oriented mental health practice, systems thinking and clinical leadership.
  • Critically evaluate and challenge the concept of mental health services as complex adaptive systems and the implications of this for leadership practice in a risk-averse culture.
  • Critically appraise leadership capability frameworks to determine and apply the most appropriate capabilities for enhancing leadership practice in mental health services.
  • Critically evaluate evidence-based leadership models and practices which enable clarity of purpose, inclusive leadership, empowerment of others, ethical practice and recovery-oriented processes.
  • Advocate for people who access mental health services, challenging discrimination and public discourse, ensuring decision making processes meet cultural requirements in an environment of complexity and uncertainty, understanding how these skills are applied in situations of shared leadership between professionals and those with lived and living experience.
  • Enhance critical thinking to lead others by challenging outdated assumptions applying validated evaluation instruments to assess levels of success and sustainability of leadership interventions and change management initiatives.

Weekly Schedule
Week 1 What is Leadership?
Week 2 Leadership capability frameworks and theories
Week 3 Leadership styles in mental health
Week 4 Partnership in leadership
Week 5 Recovery and leadership for mental health in Australia
Week 6 Leadership across boundaries in complex systems
Week 7 The Australian mental health system as a complex system
Week 8 Leadership and mental health law
Week 9 Ethical mental health leadership
Week 10 Advocacy with others
Week 11 Creating a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect in mental health
Week 12 The nature of decision making in mental health
Week 13 Self-determination and leadership
Week 14 Evidence-based decision-making in leadership
Week 15 Achieving and sustaining outcomes