Aim

The aim of the Service Development program is to support mental health services to provide culturally relevant services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds by providing systemic consultancy.

Objectives

The activities undertaken by the Service Development program to meet its aim are:

• Supporting the development and implementation of innovative models of culturally sensitive service delivery
• Providing policy advice and advocacy to state and commonwealth governments
• Supporting mental health services to respond to CALD issues by developing and implementing organisational systems and structures
• Providing advice, support and consultancy to programs aimed at promoting culturally appropriate service delivery such as the Ethnic Mental Health Consultant program and the Bilingual Case Management program.

Directory of Bilingual Mental Health Professionals

The VTPU has produced the 2001 Directory of Bilingual Mental Health Professionals (Third Edition). This directory is designed to facilitate the referral of patients to a clinician who speaks the patient’s language. Bilingual practitioners represented in the directory represent over 140 language groups and are committed to providing services within their sphere of expertise to people from non-English speaking backgrounds. These practitioners may also be able to assist colleagues with cultural information relevant to the clinical situation.

[access bilingual directory]

Guidelines on Working with Interpreters

The VTPU has produced a manual on how to work effectively with interpreters in a clinical mental health setting. It outlines possible structures for establishing and operating an interpreter service and provides information on factors which need to be considered when working with interpreters. The manual, "Working with Interpreters: Guidelines for Mental Health Porfessionals" are available online. To access the manual please click below. Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file.

download Interpreter Guidelines [pdf 72 KB]

Bilingual Case Management Program

The Bilingual Case Management Program was established in Area Mental Health Services in the western region of Melbourne in 1996. Eleven bilingual case managers (who speak Croatian, Greek, Italian, Turkish and Vietnamese) are employed in case management positions. Their roles include clinical case management with clients from the same ethnic background as well as other backgrounds, secondary consultation to other staff, family education and support and community education.

Refugee Mental Health Program

The VTPU and the Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture (VFST) have worked collaboratively to develop a network of mental health professionals to support the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. In 2003, funding was received from the Department of Human Services to pilot the establishment of a Refugee Mental Health Clinic which is currently delivering psychiatric services to refugees. It operates from the VFST in Parkville.

Northern Region CALD Service Improvement

The VTPU has worked with the Northern Area Mental Health Service to assist with the development of a CALD Service Improvement strategy involving the establishment of a systemic framework to work on issues of culture and diversity.

Contacts

Malina Stankovska
Service Development Co-ordinator
Email: malina.stankovska@svhm.org.au

Marie Piu
Service Development Officer
Email: marie.piu@svhm.org.au