The Psychosocial Approaches to Thriving Health Systems (PATHS) project — Queensland Alliance for Mental Health.

About

• Project title: Psychosocial Approaches to Thriving Health Systems (PATHS)

• Client: Queensland Alliance for Mental Health

• Status: Completed May 2025

Background

The Psychosocial Approaches to Thriving Health Systems (PATHS) project sought to define the role of the community mental health and wellbeing sector in responding to unmet need for psychosocial support. Queensland Alliance for Mental Health led the work. Beacon Strategies was engaged to undertake community and sector consultations in Townsville, Queensland.

Approach

Beacon’s role focused on planning, facilitating and analysing targeted stakeholder engagement, including consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, carers, CALD community members, older adults, and sector professionals. We also supported a Townhall that tested a draft service model with both service providers and consumers. Our reporting supported QAMH to refine model recommendations and close the loop with participants.

Outcome

Consultations revealed consistent themes of fragmented support, stigma, and barriers to help-seeking. Participants called for a model grounded in trusted relationships, cultural safety, and practical, holistic support. The resulting design recommendations promote flexible, place-based services delivered through informal access points, supported by trained peer and lived experience workers, and embedded within existing networks. Our deliverables included a community consultation report, Townhall analysis, and ‘close the loop’ snapshots for participants.

Link to our vision ‘a more impactful social purpose sector’:

This project contributes to our vision by supporting a service design process grounded in lived experience and aligned with local context. It elevated community voices and helped shape a model that prioritises relational support, cultural relevance, and accessibility — core enablers of more responsive and sustainable service systems. The project also highlights how non-clinical supports can play a meaningful role in mental health and wellbeing when embedded in the community and integrated with formal systems.

Explore more of our work

Beacon Strategies supports not-for-profits to undertake consultation and design services that are grounded in lived experience and tailored to local context. Explore more of our work in Service Design work here.