Workforce Survey Project

WA's inaugural survey of the community mental health sector workforce

In late 2025, WAAMH undertook an historic project, to conduct the state's first ever survey of the community mental health sector's workforce. All not-for-profit organisations providing mental health services or supports within WA were encouraged to complete the survey.

The results of the survey are now being collated and reviewed.

The results will be shared publicly and will provide a better understanding of the numbers and characteristics of those working in the sector, as well as the trends, opportunities and challenges currently facing the sector as a whole.

  
How the survey results will be used

The results of the survey will be used in several crucial ways.

• Advocacy: The data collected will shape our future advocacy efforts and help build a sustainable mental health workforce and system.
  
  
• Representation: The survey results will ensure we accurately represent the needs of our members in the sector.
  
  
• Workforce development: The results will inform our workforce development and training activities, as well as our proposals and advice to government on workforce initiatives for the purpose of system reform.
  
  
• Data benchmarking: The survey will create a data set that can be built upon, added to and benchmarked against in future, to help recognise and understand changes in the sector over time.
  
  
• National profile: Adding Western Australian data to the results that have been collected over the past six years in NSW and the ACT will contribute to a national mental health workforce profile.
  
  

The role of our Project Reference Group

In response to an Expression of Interest in July, a Project Reference Group was formed, made up of nine organisations from across WA's community mental health sector.

The Project Reference Group worked closely with management and research consultancy firm, Human Capital Alliance, to provide insights and feedback on the development of the survey questions, as well as pilot test a draft survey.

  

Want to stay up-to-date?

Keep an eye on our website or follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for project updates.