Neami has concentrated its energy on developing research partnerships that will directly improve consumer outcomes. Neami now has a planned approach to research activities and is developing new initiatives  for  2006.

Current research includes:

Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative (AIMHI): High Support Stream

Evaluation of an Integrated Strategy to Promote the Health of People with Chronic or Recurring Mental Disorders
The University of Queensland and The University of Wollongong are co-investigators of this project. Neami acts as a co-investigator with The University of Wollongong on the HSS (High Support Stream)
The aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Collaborative Recovery training program for mental health clinicians and the effects on clients they treat. The training comprises several components (1) a philosophy that emphasizes collaboration in treatment and instillation of hope for recovery in people who have chronic or recurring mental illness (2) clinical skills training related to facilitating clients motivation, establishing treatment goals, negotiating appropriate tasks to meet these goals, designing and setting homework, and monitoring progress. The research aims to determine the short-term effects of training on clinicians and long-term outcomes related to implementation of the Collaborative Recovery approach for clients receiving mental health services.

Perception of Needs and Validity of CANSAS - U

Principal researchers: John Farhall, Diana Cornish and Glen Tobias
Associate researchers: A/Prof Tom Trauer, Dr Mike Slade
Theses are two interrelated research activities. The first  is investigating the feasibility and validity of a new form that of  CANSAS-U. The second activity is investigating the concordance between disability support staff, clinical staff and consumers on assessments needs.

Community Housing Program - 10 years follow up 

This research is a collaboration with Supported Housing Limited and Swinburne University. Neami and SHL have committed funds and Swinburne is preparing the literature review and the research submission. The submission will go to the Australian Research Council. We are hope full of success as there have been very little research into the area of people who have moved from long term psychiatric care to community living with support. Hopefully these
In addition to these research activities there are two service evaluation projects which are occurring in NSW and South Australia.

HASI Evaluation

The Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales is evaluating the Mental Health Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI). The evaluation will test the hypothesis that: "with appropriate support, clients requiring coordinated support, will be able to maintain housing and participate in the community." The production of welfare model is the conceptual basis for the evaluation. The approach distinguishes four distinct but closely linked stages in the process of human service delivery: inputs, the production process, outputs and outcomes. Applying this approach to the evaluation of HASI, the scheme draws attention to the importance of focusing not just on the outcomes of the program, but on the prior stages in the process of resourcing and providing supportive services to those clients who will benefit most. The second approach utilized in the development of the research design is based on the ethnographic tradition of social research. The approach uses methods such as participant observation, in-depth interviews and the analysis of documentary evidence.

Port Adelaide Evaluation

Research, Analysis and Evaluation Unit of the Department for Families and Communities is evaluating the Port Adelaide Supported Accommodation Demonstration Project. While the evaluation of the Port Adelaide Supported Demonstration Project will continue to rely on the general framework (developed for all demonstration projects) it will also attempt to expand on the existing findings by examining in more detail actual service planning and delivery. The Port Adelaide project is particularly suited for this purpose as it offers a different approach to planning by utilising specific assessment tools (CANSAS-U) and trialing joint Individual Support Planning process involving consumers, mental health key workers and support workers.   The evaluation will therefore explore:

From the organisational point of view this research is addressing three different aspects of service delivery; impacts of staff training and professional development on consumers recovery; needs assessment its perception and validity; retrospective study of outcomes for consumers resettled in community.

Two evaluations are related to current service developments in two states and are focused on service provision, effectiveness, partnerships with key service providers with an overall aim to validate consumers' outcomes.

A common theme in these projects is that findings and results of researches or evaluations can be applied/implemented into our work practice. Therefore our efforts are providing us with concrete outcomes in terms of improving accuracy and quality of service delivery.