Minister for Mental Health; Aboriginal Affairs; Industrial Relations.
Minister for Mental Health; Aboriginal Affairs; Industrial Relations.
Keynote: Mark Chenery, Common Cause
Mark Chenery is a communications expert and trainer who works with mission driven organisations and political parties to incorporate a values-based approach to messaging. His background includes advertising and journalism and heading up the community engagement program of an international human rights organisation in Australia. Since establishing Common Cause Australia in 2014, he and his colleagues have trained over 5,000 campaigners, communicators and fundraisers from Australia and New Zealand in the science of values and framing.
Mark has worked with dozens of organisations on values-based messaging. His research has changed the way many of Australia’s leading mission driven organisations as well as government departments and agencies communicate with the public on social justice, health and environmental issues.
Keynote: Mark Chenery, Common Cause
Mark Chenery is a communications expert and trainer who works with mission driven organisations and political parties to incorporate a values-based approach to messaging. His background includes advertising and journalism and heading up the community engagement program of an international human rights organisation in Australia. Since establishing Common Cause Australia in 2014, he and his colleagues have trained over 5,000 campaigners, communicators and fundraisers from Australia and New Zealand in the science of values and framing.
Mark has worked with dozens of organisations on values-based messaging. His research has changed the way many of Australia’s leading mission driven organisations as well as government departments and agencies communicate with the public on social justice, health and environmental issues.
Dr Stephen Bright has worked as a psychologist within the Mental Health and the AOD field for the past 15 years. He is currently Senior Lecturer of Addiction at Edith Cowan University. Stephen is a strong advocate of harm reduction and an evidence-based approach to AOD legislation.
He is also the founder of AOD media watch, a project that aims to make the Australian media more accountable when reporting on AOD issues.
Marketing activities of the alcohol industry shape norms and contribute to pro-drinking attitudes and behaviours. Alcohol marketing is not limited to traditional media, with companies using digital technologies and innovative strategies to extend alcohol messaging. Cancer Council Western Australia monitors industry activities to identify emerging marketing strategies and examine if they are adequately captured by existing industry marketing codes of practice.
We monitored industry publications and online alcohol ads to identify emerging marketing strategies. We observed two strategies that warranted further attention: (i) alcohol ads referring to the COVID-19 pandemic and (ii) the use of brand extension, where an alcohol brand is placed on a non-alcohol product.
We collected examples of these and other strategies and reviewed the content of the alcohol ads. We also considered determinations from the industry-managed ABAC Scheme, the existing alcohol advertising review system, to assess if it adequately captured emerging marketing techniques.
Firstly, we found that alcohol companies used the pandemic as a way to sell more alcohol. Marketing messages identified included drinking to cope or survive, and ease of access through home delivery. The ABAC Scheme failed to prevent or act on this type of harmful marketing.
Secondly, we found alcohol companies were extending their brands to non-alcohol products including chocolates, zero-alcohol beverages, and fragrances. While the ABAC Code applies to brand extensions, in practice it places limited restrictions on alcohol companies using this strategy.
Our monitoring and review of emerging marketing strategies demonstrates that industry codes are failing to prevent harmful messages or protect populations who are vulnerable from exposure to alcohol marketing. Stronger restrictions on alcohol marketing are needed. This presentation will discuss the marketing practices we observed; the evidence-based policy options available to strengthen regulation; and the role of health and community groups in encouraging policy change.
This paper aims to look at the complex role of a peer worker and how enriching, yet significantly challenging, it can be as an AOD worker, consumer and community member.
It’s liberating to apply for a position as a peer worker, being open and honest about personal experience, but... How honest and open should I be? Should I disclose I’m a current or past peer? That I do or don’t inject? Will I be accepted? Or judged and discriminated against?
Being a peer worker is so rewarding, especially engaging with peers over the needle exchange, providing support with injecting health. However, myself and some other peer coworkers prefer to get equipment when no-one is around, or from each other.
In our roles as peer workers, we’re often required to deliver presentations where we choose whether or not to identify as a peer.
It takes guts to be honest and identify as a current peer in a room full of AOD professionals. Will they understand? Will I be judged? Will I be treated equally? Will this affect employment opportunities in the future if anyone in the audience is on the panel and know's about me?
Once you put that fact out there, it cannot be taken back. You need to think carefully. Especially if you are younger and still have your career ahead of you. We know people who use drugs are judged and especially people who inject.
Overall it's a dream job, but the issues associated with being a peer worker are complex. A life-time of shame doesn’t go away just because you’re in a peer based organisation.
I’d like to conclude the presentation by recognising some real champions who have worked in the sector but have sadly both passed away since the last WA AOD conference.
Prenatal exposure to alcohol can cause damage to the brain of the developing baby, resulting in a range of severe and lifelong physical, mental and behavioural disabilities known as FASD. Increasing community awareness about the harms associated with alcohol use during pregnancy and attitudes towards abstinence when pregnant or planning is an essential component of a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to preventing and reducing the incidence of FASD in WA.
The WA Mental Health Commission’s Alcohol.Think Again program delivers the only sustained, evidence-based mass media campaign in Australia that aims to reduce alcohol related harm. Independent evaluation of Alcohol.Think Again and the broader empirical literature continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of its campaigns, and results underscore the value of the robust formative research process employed to inform the creative development of advertising materials and messaging.
This presentation will provide an overview of the rigorous research, development and implementation of Alcohol.Think Again’s most recent Alcohol and Pregnancy ‘One Drink’ campaign. It will also describe the extensive community and expert consultation and liaison, state-wide roll-out and development of regional specific supporting activity. Results from the independent evaluation that is currently underway will also be presented and will include data relating to the campaign’s impact on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs relating to alcohol use during pregnancy and importantly, intended behaviour.
The role of the campaign as part of a coordinated, comprehensive prevention approach will also be discussed.
Given the extensive reach of public education campaigns, even modest improvements in health behaviours associated with alcohol use during pregnancy can translate into beneficial, population-wide effects. When implemented as part of a comprehensive approach, not only can social marketing campaigns produce changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, they can also create support for the introduction of healthy public policy such as pregnancy warning labels.
Injecting drug use and associated poor physical health outcomes, including higher risk of hepatitis C and HIV, are issues of concern among Indigenous Australians. Exploratory qualitative research with Aboriginal people in Western Australia who inject drugs (consumers) investigated what influences their use of needle and syringe programs (NSP), and identification of opportunities for health promotion/education and improved consumer engagement.
An Aboriginal Advisory Group and a Co-Design Working Group were established, comprising four Elders, five Aboriginal consumers, and staff from 16 organisations including government, non-government, research, clinical services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, peak bodies, and NSP services. NSP staff recruited and facilitated one-on-one yarning sessions with Aboriginal consumers exploring: barriers and enablers to accessing NSP services, cultural safety of NSPs, language used for drugs or equipment, reusing or sharing equipment, and where consumers access sterile equipment.
Thirty-six Aboriginal adult consumers participated in the yarning sessions. Reasons for not accessing NSP services included shame, lack of anonymity, obtaining equipment from peers, locations and opening hours. Motivators for accessing NSPs included wanting to use sterile equipment, rapport with staff, referral by friends or family, incentives, free equipment, information, and support. Community education and raising awareness about harm reduction services, holistic models of service delivery, workforce education and training, increasing service availability, and a peer referral program were identified as intervention areas and grant funding has subsequently been awarded to implement recommendations.
Aboriginal-led research and yarning sessions identified insights from Aboriginal consumers about their needs and those of their local drug using community, including interventions to improve access to NSPs. Interventions should be co-designed with Aboriginal consumers considering local needs, language, and service availability.
People who inject drugs are frequently described by health care workers as a “difficult to reach” population, but sometimes a shift of perspective is all that is required.
This paper examines disparities in access to health services experienced by people who use drugs, and especially by people who inject drugs, from the person’s point of view, because we need to listen to the individual person’s story. This shift of perspective is essential if we want to learn how to change barriers into opportunities.
The paper describes peer based models for developing and delivering harm reduction and health services that are informed by the experiences, knowledge, and expressed needs of the consumer; a way of working that builds mutual trust, engagement, and respect. Three projects are highlighted as examples, involving peer-to-peer education, peer support and engagement, and peer delivered health services.
This paper aims to demonstrate that peer workers and peer based services, have unique advantages in reaching those members of the community who are considered “difficult to reach and “hard to engage,” in part due to shared experiences of disadvantage and discrimination, and to the implicit trust that exists between peers.
From March 2020, variations to Peer Based Harm Reduction WA’s (PBHRWA) needle and syringe exchange activities were implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As early as April, PBHRWA identified that the pandemic was having a profound effect on the supply, cost and quality of illicit drugs used by consumers. In order to measure the effect of the pandemic on our consumers we conducted three ‘snapshot surveys’ between April and November 2020. The surveys included questions relating to price, availability and quality of illicit drugs, the effect of the pandemic on access to sterile injecting equipment, access to pharmacotherapies and access to health services. The survey took less than five minutes to administer and was completed face to face by needle and syringe exchange program (NSEP) workers.
Four hundred and fifty three surveys were completed across three time periods. Methamphetamine was the drug of choice for 60% of respondents followed by opioids at 33.5%. Smaller numbers cited other drugs such as MDMA or steroids as their drug of choice. Methamphetamine and opioids were reported as harder to access, more expensive and of lower quality across all three time periods. As a result of changes to drug availability 40% reported reduced use. Increased use of alcohol and cannabis was reported by 10% of respondents. Access to sterile injecting equipment remained stable across the three time periods and when asked to score PBHRWA’s services 99% reported being satisfied or highly satisfied. At the final survey the effect of COVID-19 on consumers’ health was assessed. Over one third reported the pandemic had had an effect on mental health with depression and anxiety frequently mentioned.
This is about my history from my darkest hour to living life again, I’ve had my ups and downs. I’ve struggled with stigma, avoided doing activities for the reason of being judged or mum shamed, shamed for having mental health issues and using drugs, but consumer representation has showed me another side to me.
5 years ago, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. By the time she was born all I was focused on was having a happy little family in Coffs Harbour. But we moved back to Perth and that’s when everything unravelled. By December 2016 I was using again, suffering from PTSD and was struggling with my identity as a mum, and as a woman.
In 2017, my daughter’s father kicked myself and our 6-month-old out and I found us homeless. I was lucky though and I was able to move into my mum’s house. I was rock bottom. That’s when my perspectives started to shift. That’s when I reached out for help. I got in touch with my local AOD service, Palmerston, who also got me involved with Anglicare. My quality of life started to improve. Those services helped me when I was at my lowest point, not only by helping me to get the tools I needed to cope with PTSD and my anxiety but also staying clean for my child. They didn’t judge. Applying for housing and trying to navigate the public housing system is stressful but my housing support officer from Anglicare made that journey as close as possible to stress free and, I felt supported and empowered. All they needed to do was listen.
A little while ago my AOD councillor suggested I join the integrated services consumer committee, and boy was that an opportunity I’m proud I seized. From that I’ve been a part of various consumer collaborations, consultations, working groups and committees. Engaging with my peers and services lets you feel like you’re in control and able to contribute to real change in the sector, you’re helping by reducing that stigma that follows you as client when you access a service, it’s the opposite to when you’re on the other side of the desk.
Now I want to tell others about how they can make a difference through being involved with services and helping to shape how things get done. Services need more views and engagement from other consumers like me in order to better know how to help those who don’t know there is help out there. Those who don’t know about their rights to be heard and respected, who would feel supported and empowered because they have accessed help when they needed.
Professor Bronwyn Myers, PhD is the Director of the Curtin enAble Institute at Curtin University and previous Deputy Director of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit at the South African Medical Research Council. She also holds an honorary professorship in the Division of Addiction Psychiatry, within the University of Cape Town’s Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health. Prof. Myers conducts clinical research focused on the development, testing, and implementation of psychological and health system interventions to improve access to, outcomes and quality of care for people with substance use and co-occurring mental and physical disorders. She has published more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles on these topics. Her work has a strong service user and workforce development focus. Dr. Myers previously served as the Secretariat to the International Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use. She is currently a member of the UNODC’s technical expert group on International Standards and Quality Assurance for Drug Use Disorder Treatment.
Open Mic discussion.
Open Mic discussion.
Welcome to Country by Uncle Ben Taylor.
Ingrid Cumming is a Whadjuk Balardong Noongar woman from Fremantle and recognised young leader within the Noongar community. A graduate of Murdoch University and Melbourne Business School, Mrs Cumming is the founder and principal consultant of Kart Koort Wiern consultancy, representing Indigenous Australian Business globally for over ten years.
Her her career she has been a finalist and won a range of awards like NAIDOC Perth, Telstra Women in Business, Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Awards, ‘Champion for Change’ by EPHEA (Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia, WA Heritage Awards and Belmont Small Business Awards.
She has had an extensive work history working internally and externally with a variety of sectors and organisations, creating and facilitating programs and engagements, to address issues and strengths within these sectors and organisations and their stakeholder groups, through the provision of strategy development, leadership, academic programs and curriculum and professional development, cultural awareness programs and development of inclusion and diversity management plans.
Emeritus Professor Geoff Gallop AC was a Member of Western Australia’s Legislative Assembly for twenty years, a Minister in the Lawrence Government (1990-1993) and Premier from 2001 to 2006. He was Director of Sydney University’s Graduate School of Government (2006-2015) developing programs and teaching in the area of public sector policy and management in Australia, Africa and South East Asia. He was Deputy Chair of the COAG Reform Council (2007-2011) and a Member of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (2008-2009). Today he is a Member if The Global Commission on Drug Policy and chairs the Research Committee of the New Democracy Foundation.
His keynote will focus on a new approach to drug policy courtesy of a range of harm reduction initiatives. Some jurisdictions overseas have decriminalised drug use to good effect and we are led to ask whether the time has come for Australia to adopt such an approach.
Professor Simon Lenton
Introduction
In order to increase the uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments amongst people who inject drugs, our community model of care overseen by a Nurse practitioner has evolved to include peer workers. A range of tailored peer-driven programs, informed by the experience of our consumers and employing peer workers, have been implemented since 2017.
Description of model of care/intervention
The programs were developed by identifying appropriate tasks that could be performed by peers, and by educating and training peer workers who were at the frontline. Peer-driven programs included a HCV treatment support program and a HCV peer education program. Other initiatives such as the Testing Initiatives Program, outreach to patient’s homes, and expansion of the clinical health service were also implemented to improve treatment accessibility for a geographically dispersed population of at-risk people who do not typically access mainstream health services.
Results
One hundred and eight people have received HCV treatment, with 96 of these people receiving HCV peer support. Twenty-five HCV peer educators have been trained with a total of 598 of their drug-using peers being reached in the community. The Testing Initiatives program involved 140 people being tested for Blood Borne Viruses with a subsequent 14 people undertaking HCV treatment.
Five peer workers have been trained to perform HCV RNA testing using the Cepheid GeneXPert module instrument.
Conclusion
Peer workers foster a high level of trust and engagement, providing an interface between people who inject drugs and health professionals. Task shifting, educating peers, and involving peers in HCV programs has improved engagement with people who inject drugs and increased the uptake of hepatitis C testing and treatment. Increasing peer involvement is integral to improving other aspects of our model of care and subsequently contributing towards worldwide HCV elimination.
Introduction: Alcohol causes significant harm to individuals, families and communities and really cheap alcohol contributes to a large share of the harm. Price controls are one of the most effective strategies for reducing harm from alcohol. There is compelling evidence that as the price of alcohol increases, alcohol use decreases in the general population. Addressing really cheap alcohol products is recommended through a number of State and Federal strategies and guiding documents, and several organisations within the alcohol and other drugs sector have added their voice to the calls for action on cheap alcohol.
Policy context: Minimum unit pricing has been identified as an effective price-control measure that would only affect the cheapest alcohol products available on the market. The policy aims to reduce alcohol-related harm among people who are at the highest risk. Around the world, several countries are taking action on really cheap alcohol and real-world evidence is building about the policy impacts. Research shows significant reductions in harm from alcohol following the introduction of a minimum unit price policy, across indicators such as alcohol-related ambulance callouts, emergency department presentations, assaults, arrests, and child protection cases.
We will explore the evidence base and potential barriers for addressing alcohol pricing in WA, including the real-world evidence from the Northern Territory and Scotland. We will also discuss activities by health and community organisations to encourage discussion of minimum pricing for alcohol in WA.
Conclusion: While there is no silver bullet when it comes to preventing harm and a comprehensive approach is needed, the available evidence makes for a compelling case for WA to act on the price of alcohol.
Outcare provides reintegration services to people that are in contact with the Justice system. Our purpose is to empower people to live their best life.
Outcare’s Start Court program is a multi-disciplinary diversion program that supports adults with mental health issues. At Start Court, Outcare works alongside Health and Justice to support individuals to improve their mental health and find the support they need to live their best lives.
Many Start Court clients have had prior contact with the Justice system and have unpaid court fines. Often these fines have gone unpaid because the client is in financial hardship. Being unable to pay court fines can exacerbate mental health issues and have severe legal penalties.
For the last six months, the Start Court team has offered its clients support to pay their fines using the Fines Enforcement Registry’s Work Development Permit (WDP). Under the scheme, eligible people can apply to complete approved activities under the supervision of a sponsor (Outcare), in place of paying the amount owed. Activities include:
• Unpaid work.
• Medical or mental health treatment.
• Educational, vocational or personal development course.
• Treatment for an alcohol or drug use problem.
• Mentoring (for under 25s).
The WDP scheme was part of a law reform package passed last year overhauling Western Australia’s fines enforcement regime. (WA.gov.au).
Outcare was an early adopter of the WDP scheme, recognising the difference it could make to the people it supports. Since becoming an approved sponsor, Outcare has sponsored 52 WDPs—and supported those people to pay $15,000 in court fines.
This presentation will focus on Outcare’s implementation of the WDP scheme, and its many successes. It will include several case studies where the scheme has helped participants not only improve their financial position but also given them the motivation and self-agency to address other problem areas in their lives.
Since the start of this year, an innovative partnership between the Department of Justice, the Town of Port Hedland and Bloodwood Tree has resourced the Sobering Up Centre (Wapa Maya) so it can remain opens a Welcome Centre from 11am to 4pm each weekday.
The additional funding has led to a new pilot trial being developed that will now operate for the next 18 months. With the Welcome Centre open and available to locals and visitors alike, everyone has a free place to seek assistance, enjoy relief in an air-conditioned comfort, play board games, watch TV, benefit from the laundry, obtain showers, get their mobile phones charged, check out the noticeboards and access local services. There is a free and popular self-service sandwich bar, fresh fruit, tea and coffee making, space to conduct group therapeutic AOD art programs, and space for other services and agencies to provide services.
The Pilot commenced in January and already by early April, has resulted in over 150 people dropping in to use the new service. Pleasingly, many stay on after the Homeless Breakfast Program or come later in the day and use the South Hedland Soup Kitchen. Already, this Pilot is assisting with reducing alcohol related harm, reducing alcohol related anti-social behaviour and helping to promote greater neighbourhood harmony in and around the South Hedland CBD, as well as throughout the broader South Hedland community.
Harry Blagg is Professor of Criminology and Director of the Centre for Indigenous Peoples and Community Justice in the Law School, UWA. He specializes in Indigenous people and criminal justice, particularly family and domestic violence. Harry brings over 20 years’ experience conducting high level research with Aboriginal people across Australia (including urban, rural and remote locations) on justice related issues. Recently completed projects include a study to develop Diversionary Pathways for Indigenous youth believed to be FASD in the Kimberley Region of WA, an evaluation of integrated and innovative community owned responses to Aboriginal family violence, and a project on the Role of Aboriginal Law and Culture in Responding to Family Violence.
Cyrenian House has been delivering Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) since 2016 in residential, prison and community settings with great success. This includes having delivered MRT as a core part of the program at Wandoo Women’s Rehabilitation Prison Therapeutic Community (TC) since its inception in 2018. The MRT program has been a part of the success of Wandoo and complements the TC program.
MRT is an evidence-based, cognitive-behavioural group treatment program designed to help participants develop positive self-image and identity, learn positive social behaviours, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and make decisions from higher levels of moral judgement. It is a systematic treatment system, which employs active group participation, written exercises, and homework. Based on Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development and Erik Erikson’s personality theory, MRT was specifically designed for an offender population.
The program is comprised of 12 steps and the evidence suggests the more steps an individual completes the higher the level of moral reasoning they make their decisions from. This therefore leads to a reduction in substance use and offending behaviour. Completion of the program is dependent on step completion rather than time spent in the program.
In late 2020 Cyrenian House in partnership with Holyoake, has been delivering MRT as a through-care program. “Through-care” means that participants begin the MRT program in custody with three months remaining on their sentence and continue the program in the community whilst on parole. MRT is a ‘rolling group’, meaning participants can enter the program at any time. This innovative initiative has been funded by the Department of Justice.
This presentation will focus on the main learnings and outcomes from the first nine months of running MRT as a through-care program in the criminal justice system in Western Australia.
Wandoo Women’s Rehabilitation Prison Therapeutic Community
Wandoo Therapeutic Community where HOPE and CHANGE Happens - The Evolution of Wandoo Therapeutic Community Prison three years on from implementation.
Wandoo Therapeutic Community Prison is WA’s first dedicated Alcohol and other Drug (AOD) Therapeutic Community prison for women in custody and Australia’s first and only whole of facility TC in a prison setting dedicated to treatment for substance misuse and addressing women’s underlying trauma. This is a partnership between Cyrenian House and the Department of Justice.
Since its establishment in 2018, the service has so far proved to be a resounding success. The prison is genuinely drug-free, the usual culture of a prison has successfully been replaced by a healthy Therapeutic Community culture, a high majority of women graduate the program, and the partnership with Department of Justice is robust, and genuinely collaborative. So far 165 women have graduated the program, with 46 of these being Aboriginal women. Only 4 of these women have returned to prison because of reoffending. In 2020 the Wandoo TC program also achieved ATCA accreditation.
In this presentation we focus on the learnings, achievements, and outcomes now three years post implementation of the service.
Wandoo TC would not have been possible without the strong partnership between Cyrenian House and the Department of Justice. We will present how this works on the ground to support the culture of a Therapeutic Community within a correctional facility and hear from some of the DoJ custodial staff on how the TC program has impacted their working lives and their perspective on substance misuse, change and TC treatment.
In October 2020, through a partnership between Palmerston Association and Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, a new AOD service called ‘Solid Steps AOD Program’ commenced at Casuarina Prison, funded by the Department of Justice.
The Solid Steps program is based on modified Therapeutic Community principles and is located in the Mallee Rehabilitation Unit supporting prisoners in a 9-month program of AOD support.
The program has an integrated range of AOD approaches delivered with strong, culturally appropriate foundation group programs including SMART groups (CBT and Motivational interviewing approach). Participants are encouraged to develop pro-social behaviours based on TC principles of peer to peer support and role modelling.
The project was implemented based on a cultural framework, the Noongar Six Seasons and in consultation with Noongar Elders.
Approximately 40% of participants in the program are Aboriginal so the staff team and program has been designed to ensure the importance of culture in healing and AOD recovery.
A range of service outcomes are monitored for each participant in the program with a particular focus on increased knowledge and understanding of their AOD use. The project is being evaluated separately through an evaluation over a 3-year period.
Wungening Aboriginal Corporation are also the lead partner in ReSet providing reintegration services across the Perth metropolitan region. This has benefited the Solid Steps partnership in assisting with ongoing transition planning beyond the program.
This workshop will discuss and consider opportunities for future development in this post-treatment area based on our experiences of working with participants at Casuarina Prison. This will include sharing some key learnings of the program and discuss a range of aspects of post-release and throughcare opportunities for prisoners such as Transitional support, Transition to other TCs, and post-release SMART Groups.
This workshop will also feature client stories and testimonials from Year 1 of the program.
EDNA: Emerging Drugs Network of Australia
The history of the development of a national registry for what recreational drugs are causing harm in the community. The power of collaboration and breaking down of silos in minimising harm from recreational drug use.
COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS MODEL
One of the biggest challenges to engage ethnically diverse communities is lack of information – linguistically and culturally appropriate. Health, Mental Health and AOD literacy is especially crucial in building healthy communities. The lack of this has serious issues across all cultures with negative impact on assimilation and integration apart from underutilisation of services. Cross-cultural issues further exacerbate the challenges for migrants and refugees and can result in miscommunication, misdiagnosis, and lack of appropriate care.
The Community Ambassadors Model, initiated by the Multicultural Futures is an excellent attempt to connect the diverse the populations to support services and the wider community. The model explores the benefits of dissemination of information in a culturally competent, safe, and appropriate manner to enhance access to health care services and thereby achieve positive outcomes for both the diverse communities and service providers.
The Model is developed One of the biggest challenges to engage ethnically diverse communities is lack of information – linguistically and culturally appropriate. Health, Mental Health and AOD literacy is especially crucial in building healthy communities. The lack of this has serious issues across all cultures with negative impact on assimilation and integration apart from underutilisation of services. Cross-cultural issues further exacerbate the challenges for migrants and refugees and can result in miscommunication, misdiagnosis, and lack of appropriate care.
The Community Ambassadors Model, initiated by the Multicultural Futures is an excellent attempt to connect the diverse the populations to support services and the wider community. The model explores the benefits of dissemination of information in a culturally competent, safe, and appropriate manner to enhance access to health care services and thereby achieve positive outcomes for both the diverse communities and service providers.
The Model is developed and based on the success of ‘ Stepping Out of Shadows’ program that engaged Bilingual Workers to educate their respective communities about mental health/illness
based on the success of ‘ Stepping Out of Shadows’ program that engaged Bilingual Workers to educate their respective communities about mental health/illness.
Background
Young Aboriginal women living in remote communities seldom have the opportunity to reach those who make decisions over their lives. Photovoice, a community based participatory action research method, uses photos taken by participants as a platform to reflect and promote dialogue on concerns and strengths, in turn empowering individuals to share their story, their way.
Methods
Photovoice was undertaken between 2019 - 2020 across four communities in the Kimberley region: Kununurra, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing and Derby. Objectives included identifying perspectives on how current environmental, social and economic conditions influence health and increasing knowledge of alcohol and other drug related harms. Youth aged between 11 – 16 years were identified as the target group and recruited through local schools and existing youth programs.
Program length varied between 6 – 14 weekly sessions. Each site delivered a photography workshop, exhibition, strength-based alcohol and drug education session and facilitated in-depth discussions on “what keeps us strong” and “what takes our strength away”.
Result
Themes that emerged on “what takes our strength away” included: alcohol, rubbish, fighting and losing loved ones. “What keeps us strong” included: trips out bush, nature, family and sports. An increase in knowledge on alcohol and drug harms and self-esteem post-program was observed.
Conclusion
There are many significant challenges young people face living in the Kimberley, specifically navigating “walking in two worlds”. Strong connection to land, spending time with family and participating in sports were identified as having a positive influence on wellbeing; highlighting the importance of co-designed, sustainable programs that foster these strengths.
more than 50% of the clients in the Midwest region identify as Aboriginal. The service covers a vast region and has adapted over the past few years to improve services offered to Aboriginal clients. These have included;
Person centred and culturally safe engagement with clients, eg providing option of Aboriginal AOD workers, and choice of location for appointments
Innovative delivery of services such as a weekly BBQ on the foreshore or in a community centre, Women's Yarning Group and "Back on Track" group (collaboration between CADS, Headspace and GRAMS to provide an outdoor group program for Aboriginal males at risk aged 18 to 25.
Culturally safe spaces with local Indigenous art and uniforms with Aboriginal art
Liaising and consulting with Aboriginal elders through a monthly meeting with elders
Supporting and up-skilling the Aboriginal workforce which make up 40% of the CADS team. Examples include regular supervision (with option of cultural supervision), flexible working conditions, opportunity for professional development such as completing Strong Spirit, Strong Mind certificates, leadership training and opportunities to step into management and team leadership roles for Aboriginal staff
Cockburn Wellbeing is a Nurse Practitioner led research supported clinic that aims to improve the physical and mental health outcomes of people with mental health concerns +/- alcohol and other drug (AOD) use issues living in the Cockburn region. Cockburn Wellbeing offers low-cost/bulk-billed services to people with mental health concerns +/- AOD use issues living in the Cockburn region. Nurse Practitioners work in collaboration with the client and other health professionals in the primary care setting to support the client’s physical and mental health while providing tailored AOD services. Services include: comprehensive health assessments, chronic disease management, AOD assessment, harm minimization and counselling, referral pathways AOD services, HCV continuous care clinic, healthy lifestyle and weight management programs, and referrals to other allied health services.
The Cockburn Wellbeing ‘Drug and Alcohol Support Service’ was established in 2019 as a result of feedback gained from stakeholders who participated in research project that was supported by a WA Primary Health Alliance AOD Workforce Development grant in 2018. The project aimed to increase screening for AOD issues using the WHO ASSIST of people who engaged in primary care services provided by Cockburn Integrated Health Service. From the findings of this project it was identified that screening for AOD issues in primary care is problematic as primary care clinicians were limited in their expertise to support people with AOD issues, they are unsure of AOD referral pathways and identified there were few AOD specialists in services that could be accessed in the Cockburn area.
This presentation will outline the process of establishing a Nurse Practitioner led specialist Mental Health/AOD service in a primary care health setting, and report the research outcomes from the first 12 months of the Cockburn Wellbeing ‘Drug and Alcohol Support Service’.
July 2015 saw the amalgamation of the Drug and Alcohol Office with the Mental Health Commission, establishing a commissioning body providing reform and an integrated approach to mental health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD).
Expanding on existing infrastructure and skillsets of the Alcohol Drug Support Service counsellors, a project team have begun to progress previous work in developing a pilot telehealth service that provides immediate support to consumers, carers, health professionals and service providers around concerns regarding alcohol, other drugs and mental health issues.
The pilot provides opportunities to achieve improved outcomes for consumers, families, carers and significant others by providing immediate support, current information to accessing appropriate services and supports.
The pilot is underpinned by a co-design, co-produced methodology, allowing for the development of a set of guiding principles that enhances the consumer experience and reflect both Recovery oriented practice and trauma informed care.
To further enhance the experience for the consumer, peer services will be engaged to support this initiative and will be embedded within the model of service.
The building, and maintaining, of sustainable relationships will be critical to the success of the phased implementation of the pilot, this supported through the work of the project team and the Project Implementation Management Group which has sector representation inclusive of individuals with lived experience of both AOD and mental health.
Significant work has built upon existing relationships, defining roles and responsibilities, developing and establishing the necessary referral protocols and pathways going forward.
To support the pilot an outcomes evaluation has been developed and will be both quantitative and qualitative, measuring the model at three and twelve month milestones, measuring its aims of an enhanced experience for consumers, assisting system navigation and ongoing support. The evaluation will also include recommendations for improvement and further development of the model.
A new type of service is created via a partnership between two of WA’s leading AOD and Mental Health NGOs
In 2019 Cyrenian House began partnering with Richmond Wellbeing to develop residential low-medical withdrawal units. This partnership started with the already existing Serenity Withdrawal Unit in Rockingham and then subsequently expanding to include the Nannup Withdrawal Unit near Nannup and the last addition, the Midland Withdrawal and Intervention Centre in Middle Swan which commenced service delivery in April 2021.
This presentation will present the story of the development of this partnership and the parallel development of the three low-medical withdrawal services that are now operating. These services now provide a total of 13 beds of genuinely co-occurring capable low-medical withdrawal residential withdrawal management. They provide a much-needed new service that bridges the gap between medical withdrawal services such as hospitals and the Next Step service, and home-based withdrawal services.
The presentation will also provide an overview of the Model of Care for this new service type, provide a perspective on their operation, key data about who is accessing these services, what their recovery journey looks like and where these services fit into that journey. Opportunities to further expand and develop this service model further will also be discussed in the presentation.
Presenters: James Hunter and David Lonnie
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in Australia, responsible for over 1,500 deaths each year in WA. Up to 50 percent of people experiencing alcohol dependence and 74 percent of those experiencing dependence on other drugs smoke daily. This leads to a disproportionate share of the harm caused by tobacco.
WA research shows people accessing community services want to quit smoking but are unable to seek appropriate support. The community services sector is in a unique position to assist people to reduce and quit smoking due to their existing, trusted relationships and ability to provide personalised ongoing support.
By embedding tobacco dependence treatment across the sector, we can ensure every community service provides best practice support, smoke-free environments, and protection from second-hand smoke exposure. This will include consistent tobacco policy, appropriate training and resources for all community services staff, and access to best practice smoking cessation for everyone supported by the sector.
On an individual level, there are numerous benefits to quitting smoking including improved alcohol and other drug recovery, improved physical and mental health outcomes, and better financial outcomes. For community services, addressing smoking helps provide a more holistic service and an environment that gives people opportunities to make positive lifestyle choices. The commitment to smoke-free areas will meet duty of care responsibilities and reduce resources spent on maintenance issues caused by smoking. Consistency of a smoking culture across the sector will ensure regular best practice care is provided for clients accessing multiple community services.
The Make Smoking History program offers resources, staff training and personalised support for each service using a comprehensive approach. However, we need the sector to work alongside us and provide leadership for long-term sustainable changes, commitment to smoke-free policies and Nicotine Replacement Therapy provision to make smoking history for everyone.
A pro-active presentation of demonstrating leadership, enabling collaboration and actively outreaching to those that are in need within the community, responses that were noticeably needed and heightened during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Might inspire others who see gaps or challenges to be pro-active and to be part of the solution, rather than waiting for others or Government to provide a solution.
South Hedland has for some time experienced significant issues in regards to alcohol fueled anti-social behavior in residential areas. WA Police South Hedland have been using the Section 152 Dry Houses, together with property owners (including Department of Communities-Housing), to reduce incidents of alcohol-related violence within homes/residential areas. December 2018, there were 47 such houses listed in South Hedland and 8 such houses listed in Port Hedland.
Prior to July 2019, aside from affixing signage, the only assistance afforded to residents in "Liquor Restricted Premises" was the use of Police visits to enforce the banning of alcohol at the registered addresses that were subject to Section 152. Aside from this, there was no outside agency or social services/AOD support or referrals for the residents living in Liquor Restricted Premises.
Noting this significant gap, Bloodwood Tree secured external funding that offered connection to AOD support services, much needed local tenancy support service, Soup Kitchen meals support, referrals and case management specific for residents of listed Liquor Restricted Houses in South Hedland. During COVID-19, the gap focussed on included Liquor Restricted Houses and overcrowded public houses in South Hedland.
For over 40 years, Milliya Rumurra Aboriginal Corporation has been providing support to community members and their families affected by alcohol and other drugs.
This presentation will take you on the client journey through our residential service and explain how collaboration and working closely with local service providers enables us to provide holistic support that positively impacts the social determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
While recognizing the strength family connection can bring for our clients we offer services that are unique in Western Australia. We provide support for families and their children and look at the individual needs of each group. Often age restrictions can be a barrier for some families accessing residential services, however we assess the benefits for the family being in a supported environment irrespective of the children’s age or specific needs. We work closely with the schools, teachers and school psychologist and we ensure allied health services for children are engaged as we collaborate with local service providers.
Sometimes accessing health services is difficult in a regional and remote location. Our teams work closely with the local AMS to support families to access our weekly on site visits as they provide assessment and medical intervention. Meeting the social determinants of health for the whole family is an important aspect of the work we do as we collaborate with other local supports such as financial, housing, mental health and trauma counselling.
We work closely with employment and training providers to support our parents to explore options for their future. Our collaborative approach to meet the social determinants of health for our client group includes working with government agencies. Education and raising awareness in the strengths and resilience of family and community is key to ensuring positive outcomes for our client group.
Holyoake’s Wheatbelt Community Alcohol & Drug Service (WCADS) has been involved in the development of AOD Management Plans (AODMPs) for many years. With the incorporation of Suicide Prevention Coordination in 2016, the WCADS Prevention Team had the capacity to merge AODMPs & Suicide Prevention Community Action Plans to address the estimated 30-50% of people with AOD misuse that also have a co-occurring mental illness; and the nearly one third of males and a quarter of females that had AOD use issues prior to taking their lives.
This collaboration resulted in the development of Community Wellbeing Plans (CWPs). These multi-organisational two-year strategic plans facilitate the creation of multi-sectoral ‘grass roots’ projects that address mental health and wellbeing, AOD misuse and suicide prevention in a cohesive, holistic, and evidence-informed way. CWPs are developed collaboratively with community stakeholders and are informed by Community Perception Surveys, WACHS data including ED presentations & hospital admissions, WAPOL statistics & anecdotal evidence.
The facilitated development of CWPs empowers communities to identify localised priority areas and create initiatives that minimise AOD-related harm, improve mental health and promote suicide prevention activities. The collaborative nature of CWPs builds workforce capacity, creates opportunities for service providers to add value to existing projects and increases access to funding opportunities. Three CWPs have been used by community organisations to successfully attract significant additional funding.
Outcomes achieved as a result of CWPs include the acquisition of buses to assist with facilitating school pick-ups for at-risk youth, the introduction of school holiday diversionary programs and an increase in training and education opportunities for professionals, para-professionals & community members.
Holyoake’s Prevention Team currently has six endorsed CWPs, two in development with additional communities on a waitlist. This initiative has been recognised with three awards, most recently ‘Outstanding Achievement in Collaboration for a Safer WA’ at the 2021 WA Injury Matters Awards.
ABN - 22 106 585 976