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Margaret Hamilton
Professor Margaret Hamilton AO
Professor Margaret Hamilton AO has a background in social work and public health, she has brought a holistic perspective to mental health care, informed by her research in epidemiology and policy development.
She contributed to medical student education and community medicine research. Then, as the founding Director of Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre for ten years, she established one of Victoria's most vital resources for addressing substance use disorders, transforming countless lives through evidence-based treatment and research. Her commitment to vulnerable Victorians continued through five years as Chair of the Multiple and Complex Needs Panel, where she championed innovative approaches to supporting individuals with challenging combinations of mental illness, substance use, and social disadvantage. As a member of the Victorian Mental Health Tribunal, she continued, until late last year, to protect the rights and dignity of Victorians experiencing mental illness. As President of the Cancer Council Victoria, Board member of VicHealth, Patron of the Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australasia (DANA), and Life Governor of the Australian Drug Foundation, she has consistently advocated for evidence-based approaches to health promotion and harm reduction. Her sixteen years as an Executive member of the Australian National Council on Drugs enabled her to shape national policy that directly benefited Victorians struggling with addiction and mental health challenges.
Her international influence through involvement in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for over twenty years and as a member of the UN's Civil Society Task Force has helped bring global best practices to Victorian services. Her contributions to military mental health through chairing the Inquiry into the Culture of Alcohol in the Australian Defence Force have addressed the specific needs of Victorian service members. Throughout her career, Professor Hamilton has been committed to mentoring others and since retiring from paid academic positions, she has maintained an honorary professorship at the University of Melbourne, mentoring countless professionals who now carry forward her patient and place-centred approach throughout Victoria's mental health system.
Professor Margaret Hamilton AO has a background in social work and public health, she has brought a holistic perspective to mental health care, informed by her research in epidemiology and policy development.
She contributed to medical student education and community medicine research. Then, as the founding Director of Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre for ten years, she established one of Victoria's most vital resources for addressing substance use disorders, transforming countless lives through evidence-based treatment and research. Her commitment to vulnerable Victorians continued through five years as Chair of the Multiple and Complex Needs Panel, where she championed innovative approaches to supporting individuals with challenging combinations of mental illness, substance use, and social disadvantage. As a member of the Victorian Mental Health Tribunal, she continued, until late last year, to protect the rights and dignity of Victorians experiencing mental illness. As President of the Cancer Council Victoria, Board member of VicHealth, Patron of the Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australasia (DANA), and Life Governor of the Australian Drug Foundation, she has consistently advocated for evidence-based approaches to health promotion and harm reduction. Her sixteen years as an Executive member of the Australian National Council on Drugs enabled her to shape national policy that directly benefited Victorians struggling with addiction and mental health challenges.
Her international influence through involvement in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for over twenty years and as a member of the UN's Civil Society Task Force has helped bring global best practices to Victorian services. Her contributions to military mental health through chairing the Inquiry into the Culture of Alcohol in the Australian Defence Force have addressed the specific needs of Victorian service members. Throughout her career, Professor Hamilton has been committed to mentoring others and since retiring from paid academic positions, she has maintained an honorary professorship at the University of Melbourne, mentoring countless professionals who now carry forward her patient and place-centred approach throughout Victoria's mental health system.
