Human services reform, commissioning and recommissioning
Turning reform intent into commissioned services, workable systems and better outcomes.
Rachel Willis brings senior government, commissioning, provider and CEO experience to human services reform. Her NSW Government work included district-level design, leadership and implementation across major reforms and programs including Going Home Staying Home, the NDIS rollout, Safe Home for Life, Targeted Earlier Intervention and the Area Assistance Scheme.
A system view of reform
Reform is not finished when policy is announced.
Human services reform succeeds or fails in the space between policy intent and implementation. Commissioning settings, service models, market capacity, workforce, funding, governance, referral pathways, community need and provider capability all shape whether the intended outcomes are achievable.
Rachel's perspective is informed by experience inside government commissioning and reform, followed by executive leadership of funded human services organisations. That provides a practical view of both sides of commissioning: what government is trying to achieve and what providers need to make a model work in practice.
Areas of expertise
- Human services reform design and implementation
- Commissioning and recommissioning strategy
- Outcomes-based commissioning and outcomes frameworks
- Population, community need and service-system analysis
- Service model and operating model design
- Market and provider transition planning
- Procurement, tender and evaluation design
- Implementation planning and change leadership
- Youth homelessness and specialist homelessness service systems
- Early intervention and prevention
Reform experience
Major reform and commissioning portfolios
Going Home Staying Home
Homelessness reform, recommissioning and service-system implementation.
Targeted Earlier Intervention
Earlier intervention, prevention, outcomes and commissioned service-system reform.
Safe Home for Life
Child protection and permanency reform, implementation and service-system change.
NDIS rollout
District-level transition from state-funded disability services to the NDIS and a new market-based service system.
Area Assistance Scheme
Place-based community development, community need, local investment and program implementation.
Outcomes-based commissioning
Commissioning approaches that connect population need, service models, performance, evidence and outcomes.
Homelessness and youth homelessness
From system reform to service leadership.
Rachel's homelessness experience spans government reform and commissioning as well as provider leadership. She was CEO of Coast Shelter, leading homelessness, crisis accommodation and domestic and family violence services, and has worked across youth homelessness, early intervention and prevention, specialist homelessness services and service-system design.
Explore homelessness expertiseOutcomes-based commissioning
Commission for outcomes, not activity alone.
Outcomes-based commissioning starts with the conditions a system is trying to change and works backwards into service models, measures, provider capability, funding arrangements and accountability. It requires clarity about population outcomes, service-level performance, evidence, implementation risk and what providers can realistically influence.
Explore related
Related reading
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