Associate Professor Helen Stain

Dr Helen Stain is a senior clinical psychologist who brings significant clinical expertise to her rapidly advancing research career. She has substantial experience developing and managing complex research projects with a diverse range of stakeholders, including health service clinicians and administrators, consumers and external audit managers. Since her appointment at CRRMH in May 2004 Dr Stain has developed significant collaborative links with research and clinical groups in NSW and internationally.

Dr Stain has initiated a developmental neuropsychology research program at CRRMH for child and adolescent mental health. She has collaborated with clinicians across rural NSW to conduct an analysis of routine clinical data on early psychosis. CRRMH postgraduate students are investigating pathways to care and neuropsychological functioning in early psychosis. Further research has focussed on novel research methodology for accessing rural and remote areas.

Recent presentations of her research include the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research in Savannah, USA in 2005 and the Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia in Davos, Switzerland in 2006. Dr Stain has been invited to present a symposium at the International Early Psychosis Conference in Birmingham, England in October 2006. Meetings held in 2006 with the Norwegian based TIPs early psychosis research group have assisted with further development of her research program.

In March 2006, Dr Stain held a rural research forum with key academics and clinicians to shape the direction of child and adolescent mental health research in rural areas. Dr Stain is a Chief Investigator on two major research projects funded by the NHMRC for a three year period commencing in 2006. One study is a population health survey sampling 4000 households across rural NSW and operating out of four centres Orange, Moree, Broken Hill and Lismore. The other study is an RCT for youth at risk of psychosis being coordinated between Orange and Newcastle. Dr Stain holds executive membership on key national and state organisations such as NSW Early Psychosis Advisory Group, Neuroscience Institute for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders, Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank and NSW Western Region Branch of the Australian Psychological Society. As Senior Clinical Psychologist with the Greater Western Area Health Service, Dr Stain provides a Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Service and has a substantial clinical caseload through the paediatric unit.

Research Expertise
Dr Helen Stain is a senior clinical psychologist who brings significant clinical expertise to her rapidly advancing research career. She has substantial experience developing and managing complex research projects with a diverse range of stakeholders, including health service clinicians and administrators, consumers and external audit managers.

Since her appointment at CRRMH in May 2004 Dr Stain has developed significant collaborative links with research and clinical groups in NSW and internationally. Dr Stain has initiated a developmental neuropsychology research program at CRRMH for child and adolescent mental health. She has collaborated with clinicians across rural NSW to conduct an analysis of routine clinical data on early psychosis. CRRMH postgraduate students are investigating pathways to care and neuropsychological functioning in early psychosis. Further research has focused on novel research methodology for accessing rural and remote areas.

Recent presentations of her research include the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research in Savannah, USA in 2005 and the Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia in Davos, Switzerland in 2006. Dr Stain has been invited to present a symposium at the International Early Psychosis Conference in Birmingham, England in October 2006. Meetings held in 2006 with the Norwegian based TIPs early psychosis research group have assisted with further development of her research program.

In March 2006, Dr Stain held a rural research forum with key academics and clinicians to shape the direction of child and adolescent mental health research in rural areas. Dr Stain is a Chief Investigator on two major research projects funded by the NHMRC for a three year period commencing in 2006. One study is a population health survey sampling 4000 households across rural NSW and operating out of four centres Orange, Moree, Broken Hill and Lismore. The other study is an RCT for youth at risk of psychosis being coordinated between Orange and Newcastle. Dr Stain holds executive membership on key national and state organisations such as NSW Early Psychosis Advisory Group, Neuroscience Institute for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders, Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank and NSW Western Region Branch of the Australian Psychological Society. As Senior Clinical Psychologist with the Greater Western Area Health Service, Dr Stain provides a Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Service and has a substantial clinical caseload through the paediatric unit.

Teaching Expertise
Dr Stain has substantial experience in teaching clinical assessments for psychiatric disorders. She is a qualified trainer for a number of clicnial assessment instruments including: Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN - as used for the 10 country study conducted by WHO); Diagnostic interview for Psychoses (DIP - as used in the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing); and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI - as used in the World Mental Health Survey). Dr Stain coordinates neuropsychological and clinical assessment training for the Schizophrenia Research Institute of Australia. She also provides training in psychotherapeutic interventions for clinical trials such as CBT for early psychosis. Past teaching includes training for medical students on medical ethics and clinical interviews. As a Senior Clinical Psychologist Dr Stain provides supervision for registration of psychologists seeking basic or specialist registration.

Administrative Expertise
Dr Stain has gained administration experience through managing her own private practice since 1996 and since her appointment at CRRMH inh 2004 has been managing a research team of approx 20 staff and students including post doctoral fellows and staff providing therapy in clinical trials.