Since 2002, Professor Jason Ferris has led, or been involved in, research focused on advocating for the needs of people with mental health and problematic substance use.
Jason is a research academic at the Centre for Health Services Research (CHSR) and the Program Leader for Research and Statistical Services - Faculty of Medicine. He leads the Substance Use and Mental Health (SUMH) unit and is also the Chief Data Scientist for the Global Drug Survey.
Jason has a well-established publication record with a strong focus on alcohol and drug research and public health, and an international reputation as a research leader in alcohol and drugs; he has been fortunate to collaborate with some of the world's leading alcohol and drug researchers.
In addition, Jason has provided service and leadership to the Asia Pacific's leading multidisciplinary organisation for professionals involved in the alcohol and other drug field - Australasian Professional Society of Alcohol and Drugs, Ketti! Bruun Society for Social and Epidemiological Research on Alcohol; and the Queensland Coalition for Action on Alcohol (QCAA)
Jason is currently the Senior Editor for the leading Australian alcohol and drug journal, Drug and Alcohol Review and the Statistics and Methods Editor for the Health Information Management Journal.
Jason's key research projects include:
- the Overarching Evaluation of the National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program and longitudinal research plan (2018–2021)
- the evaluation of ProjectSTOP (a decision-making national database for pharmacists aimed at preventing the use of pseudoephedrine based products as a precursor in the manufacture of methamphetamine)
- the Queensland evaluation of the Alcohol Fuelled Violence Policy, and
- a national review of the links between random breath testing and alcohol-related road traffic accidents.
