April 2024 Board Update

Co-CEOs report

The Board noted the following in the report:

• the Collaborative Centre will be a signatory to marra  ngarrgoo, marra  goorri:  the  Victorian  Aboriginal  Health,  Medical  and  Wellbeing Research Accord. Led by VACCHO, the Accord positions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s cultures, worldviews, belief systems, and governance at the centre of the research process. 
• the procurement process is underway for the technical design and development of the clearinghouse/knowledge sharing platform.

Collaborative Charter

The Board approved a Collaborative Charter. This outlines the principles underpinning the Collaborative Centre’s approach to collaboration and partnerships. This will be publicly available.

Translational research and innovation advisory panel

The Board discussed the proposed terms of reference and composition of the panel and requested changes to the panel’s scope and membership categories.

Workforce training and development

The Board received a presentation from the Department of Health about the Centre’s future role in workforce training and development, including roles and responsibilities. This was consistent with the Royal Commission’s envisaged role for the Centre in coordinating workforce training and development, including practice improvement, training, and professional development programs across the frontline and lived experience workforces.

The Board agreed to a jointly developed establishment plan which considers the operating model design and implementation pathway, including timelines.

Policy review

The following governance polices are reviewed annually: Board Charter and Meetings; Board Meetings and Decision Policy; Conflict of Interest. The meetings policy was updated to outline a process for when the Board goes in camera. The conflict policy was updated to include reference to lobbying activities consistent with the recent changes to the public sector code of conduct for directors of public entities.

The Board approved the updated policies.

VMIAC Consumers Leading in Governance program

Consumers Leading in Governance is a training and development program developed by VMIAC for mental health consumers. Its objective is to build capacity of mental health consumers to participate in governance arrangements across the mental health system. Participants are upskilled in governance knowledge, leadership skills and understanding of the workings of a Board and its subcommittees.

The program has a placement component with participants attending Board and/or sub-committee meetings as well meetings with a mentor in the partner organisation. The Centre has agreed to offer a placement to a participant with the Deputy Chair acting as the mentor.

Terry Laidler 
Chair

Maria Katsonis 
Deputy Chair

Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing 
16 April 2024