Associate Professor Michelle Bellon

Associate Professor

College of Nursing and Health Sciences

+61 8 82013645

michelle.bellon@flinders.edu.au

Sturt South (S273)

GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

Michelle Bellon is an Associate Professor in the Disability and Community Inclusion Unit, and Course Coordinator of the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She began her career working as a Developmental Educator providing education, community integration and counselling support to adults with acquired brain injury (ABI) within community-based and private consultancy services. Her research, teaching and professional involvement combine interests in epilepsy, acquired brain injury and family/care-giver supports. She has held a range of management roles including President of the Epilepsy Association of SA and NT, Director of Epilepsy Australia, and Board member of the Community Re-entry Program. Michelle is currently an Epilepsy Ambasador, a member of the Editorial Board of Brain Impairment, and on the Developmental Educators Australia Inc (DEAI) committee.

Qualifications

PhD Flinders University (2005)
Management of posttraumatic epilepsy in people with acquired brain injury: a psychoeducational perspective.

Honours Degree - Flinders University (2000)
An examination of the effects of changing contexts on the language and communication of people with acquired brain injury.

Bachelor of Applied Science (Disability Studies) - Flinders University (1998)

Honours, awards and grants

2021-2023 NACBO Evaluation: $100,000
Evaluation of NACBO Capacity Building Activities. Fisher, Gendera, Robinson & Bellon.

2021-2023 Our Voice SA Evaluation: $45,000
Evaluation of OVSA's Reaching Out Project. Fisher, Robinson, Bellon, Gendera, Calahan.

2022-2023 Lifetime Support Authority: $76,611
Implementing best practice approaches for managing agitation and aggression following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in hospital and rehabilitation settings. George, Block, Bellon & Hunter.

2020-2021 CNHS Covid Grant: $49,935
Alone together: A research project about getting through Covid: Experiences from people with disability and their families. Robinson, Xiao, Cochrane, Bickford, Bellon, Lante, Idle, Willis, Siverston.

2017-2019 Lifetime Support Authority Research Grant: $155,000.
Positive Behaviour Support following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A Family-Directed Approach. M Bellon, A Fisher, S Lawn, M Sohlberg, J Douglas.

2015 Flinders University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Seeding Grant: $17,000
Supporting Upper limb reCovery through Exercise for Stroke Survivors (SUCCESS): group constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). Lennon & Bellon.

2015 Flinders University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Seeding Grant: $13,500
Experience of disability-related stigma in African communities in South Australia. Crocker, Mwanri, Carey, & Bellon.

2014-2015 Julia Farr MS McLeod Benevolent Fund Research Grant: $100,000
Building sustainable capacity in Families4Families Inc: a peer support network for families following acquired brain injury. Bellon, Crocker, Farnden.

2012-2014 Julia Farr MS McLeod Benevolent Fund Research Grant: $162,502.
Families4Families: Exploring the experiences and needs of families following acquried brain injury in South Australia. Bellon, Crocker, Farnden.

2014 Flinders University Overseas Conference Fund: $1,350

2007-2008 Community Benefit SA, Government of SA: $10,900
Strengthening communities: Construction and evaluation of a mentoring program for adults with acquired brain injury. Bellon, Gardner.

2010 International Bureau of Epilepsy's Outstanding Person with Epilepsy Award, Australian Winner

2003 Epilepsy Association Research Scholarship, $38,000

Key responsibilities

Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Disability & Developmental Education, College of Nursing and Health Science

Teaching interests

Disability
Developmental Education
Ethical administration, interpretation and report writing of assessments
Professional practice

Topic coordinator

DSRS1211 Introduction to Disability and Neurodiversity

DSRS4116 Delivering Therapeutic Supports

DSRS4120 Capstone for Professional DE Practice and Leadership

Topic lecturer

DSRS1211 Introduction to Disability and Neurodiversity

DSRS4116 Delivering Therapeutic Supports

DSRS4120 Capstone for Professional DE Practice and Leadership

Supervisory interests

Brain injury

Community based rehabilitation

Disability

Epilepsy and seizure disorders

Family supports

Higher degree by research supervision

Current

Associate supervisor: The experiences of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their family members regarding transition to higher education (1)

Completion

Principal supervisor: The Management of Challenging Behaviours following Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in Community Settings: A South Australian Family Perspective (1), Evaluating outcomes of the SSAYiT transition support program for youth with cognitive difficulties (1), Exploring the factors which influence employment following spinal cord injury in Vietnam: A preliminary qualitative study (1), A systematic review of qualitative research examining barriers and facilitators to employment for people living with mental illness: implications for developing Asian countries (1), Experiences of disability students in an international work integrated learning placement (1), Parents’ experiences of their child’s return to school following acquired brain injury (1), Rehabilitation collaboration: experiences of people with Acquired Brain injury and their families when accessing services from multiple agencies in the community (1), Care-giving after traumatic brain injury: the impact on Care-givers quality of life (1)

Associate supervisor: An exploration of the service quality of Community Access Services for people with disabilities in Australia (1), Friendships, intimacy and sexual relationships: The perceptions and experiences of young adult’s use of social media for love, leisure and pleasure (1), Why would you want to be a Disability Support Worker? A qualitative analysis of long-term Disability Support Workers. (1), Examining the nature of resilience and executive functioning in people with brain injury and people with multiple sclerosis (1)

Professional engagement

Committee member, Developmental Educators Australia Inc (DEAI)

Epilepsy Ambassador (Epilepsy Centre)

Life member, Epilepsy Association of SA & NT (Vice-President 2004-2010; President 2010-2012)

Design and delivery of educational workshops for families, volunteers, staff training and visiting international professionals on brain injury and epilepsy related topics.

Expert for media contact

Disability

Acquired brain injury: community integration and learning

Epilepsy and seizure disorders: psychosocial issues

Available for contact via

+61 8 82013645

michelle.bellon@flinders.edu.au

Or contact the media team

newsdesk@flinders.edu.au

+61 8 82012092

0427 398 713

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