lisa richardson
Fulbright Postgraduate Award
Media Profile
“Rising mortality rates associated with mental illness and the disproportionate mental health resource allocation in rural and regional communities are global concerns. The U.S. and Australia share geographical impediments to the provision of health services. Clinical Psychologists are in a unique position to use their specialist skills and knowledge in a progressive technological environment, telepsychology, to help resolve the geographical obstacles of remote mental health service delivery.”
Lisa Richardson is currently completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Murdoch University where she was awarded a Master of Applied Psychology in Clinical Psychology. She also has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Curtin University. Through her Fulbright Award, Lisa will undertake research towards her PhD at the University of Hawaii and the Medical University of South Carolina with Professor Christopher Frueh into the use of video technologies used in telepsychology as an innovative solution to remote mental health service delivery.
Telehealth may be one response to overcoming the obstacles of regional and remote health care delivery. Through telecommunications and information technology, the provision of health assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation, supervision, education and information is more easily achieved. As a unique global tool, telehealth has the capability to cross all existing geographical, temporal, political, social and cultural barriers within the health sector.
“In Australia geographical distances and remote access are grave impediments to the provision of health services,” said Lisa. “This is personified by the limited availability of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists in remote areas due to professional isolation, prohibitive travel costs, lack of resources and social infrastructures. An innovative solution into the provision of specialist health care in remote and underserved communities is greatly needed.”
Through her Fulbright Award, Lisa will spend twelve months in the U.S. completing a comprehensive evaluation of telehealth services with the goal to determine whether telepsychology results are comparable with face-to-face methods of clinical interventions.
Lisa will conduct research to directly evaluate the clinical outcomes of telepsychology for mental health clients and through multi-site service investigation, work to establish an evaluation paradigm to improve service provision and delivery in public health services in Australia and the U.S.
Lisa has worked extensively as a psychologist and crisis counsellor in forensic, community, old age, and clinical settings in Western Australia. She has a small private practice, teaches at Murdoch University in undergraduate psychology, and is currently developing a group therapy program for Outpatient Older Adults. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and an Inaugural Member of the Student Reference Group for the West Australian College of Clinical Psychologists. She has written several articles on depression and anxiety for older adults and during her academic career she received several awards including a Murdoch University Research Scholarship; Workplace Awards and Government citations and a British Columbia Scholarship.