Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick

Biography

Scott Fitzpatrick is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Mental Health Research (CMHR) at the Australian National University. He previously worked as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health at the University of Newcastle from 2014 to 2021. Scott completed his PhD at the Centre for Values, Ethics, and the Law in Medicine at the University of Sydney, where he examined the narrative methods used to structure knowledge and experiences related to suicide. His research primarily focuses on the sociology of mental health illness, with a particular emphasis on suicide and self-harm. He is interested in normative questions regarding equity, power, and the workings of suicide prevention policy and practice, along with practical questions surrounding health system and community responses to suicide. Notably, Scott has co-produced research evaluated programs that focus on peer-led services as alternatives to clinical services and leads the 'Co-Creating Safe Spaces' project (2021-2024), which collaborates with health services and community-managed organisations to develop effective and sustainable models for addressing suicidal distress. Currently, he is leading the evaluation of Community-led Safe Spaces (2023-2027). His work aims to build an academic evidence base for new models of care while ensuring that this evidence is translated into policy and practice.

Research Interests

Experience