Finding a Way Through: Designing the Role of “Navigators” in a Complex NDIS and Mental Health Ecosystem

In response to Australia’s fragmented mental health ecosystems, a new Psychosocial Navigator role has been proposed. The Navigator role is set to work across systems, collaborating with service users with mental health challenges to achieve recovery-oriented goals. This study aimed to gather evidence to inform the design of this role. In-depth interviews were conducted with 86 people, including 30 National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants, 19 carers, and 37 stakeholders. Thematic analysis was utilised to draw out themes and present findings. Four overarching themes emerged: interpersonal skills and values alignment; qualifications and lived experience; local connections and collaboration; and workforce development and organisational context. Taken as a whole, these themes paint a rich picture of what the Psychosocial Navigator role could look like. The emerging Psychosocial Navigator role is a multifaceted role of significant utility and adaptive to many different settings. It is deeply relational, systems-competent, person-centred, and highly skilled. Social workers are ideally placed to lead and shape this emerging space bringing both their professional expertise and commitments to social justice, person-centred care, and systemic reform.IMPLICATIONS A new codesigned Psychosocial Navigator role can help people with significant mental health challenges navigate fragmented mental health services.Embedding social workers and lived-experience expertise within Psychosocial Navigator roles can strengthen person-centred, recovery-oriented, and trauma-informed support.Investment in workforce development, supervision, and clear practice frameworks can support the safe and sustainable implementation of Psychosocial Navigator roles across Australia.