Under the supervision of Hamilton Centre Clinical Director A/Prof Shalini Arunogiri and The Matilda Centre’s Prof Katherine Mills, Patrick's PhD will explore how integrated care for people experiencing both mental illness and substance use is understood, delivered and assessed within Victorian mental health services.

I'm using a mixed-methods approach and plan to collaborate with clinicians, consumers, carers, peer workers and service leaders to explore current practice, barriers and enablers. The goal is to identify practical indicators of quality and safety and generate insights that can strengthen integrated care and inform future service improvement,” he explains.

With a clinical background in adult and youth services, including inpatient units, community teams and AOD programs, Patrick aims to help bridge the gaps between policy, practice and lived experience.

“Throughout my career, I’ve encountered similar challenges, such as fragmented pathways and service gaps for people with co-occurring conditions. Seeing these patterns across different settings made me wonder how services could work together more effectively and motivated my interest in exploring integrated care and continuity through research,” he says.

According to Patrick, working with multidisciplinary clinicians and researchers across the Hamilton Centre, Monash University and The Matilda Centre keeps the project grounded in practice, while also allowing him to continue his clinical work.

“I hope to continue working at the intersection of clinical care, research and education to strengthen integrated responses. My goals include contributing to system redesign, informing policy and supporting workforce development,” he shares. 

"I’m also passionate about teaching and mentoring emerging mental health clinicians and hope to continue this alongside clinical and research roles," he adds.

Welcome, Patrick Huang!