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Culturally Responsive AOD Practice

We’ve been working with VAADA, the peak body representing Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services in Victoria, and led some sessions at their Inaugural Culturally and Linguistically Diverse AOD Forum on the 20th of February 2018, part of a population initiative of the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (PHN).

VTMH’s ongoing collaboration with North Western Melbourne PHN includes delivering more workforce education and training events across the region in coming months.

Presentations and Resources from the February Forum are available here

The multiple perspectives shared throughout the day stimulated deep reflection and diverse discussions. Consumers, carers and providers shared experiences, explored what inclusive practice means and developed their skills and knowledge.

Follow the links to find presentations by Silvana Izzo and Shehani De Silva from VTMH as well as links to all the other presentations.

VTMH’s morning session explored ‘unconscious bias’. We facilitated a discussion about service development and practice evolution in the afternoon. Our thanks go to Naomi Carter, from VAADA, for asking VTMH to get involved and for including many lived experience voices from families and communities.

We also encourage you to check out VAADA’s CALD AOD Practitioner Tip Sheets, available to download

These tip sheets outline some key issues for consideration when working with clients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in the areas of AOD counselling, residential withdrawal settings and intake and assessment settings.

  • Cultural Cues — Working with Cultural Diversity in AOD Counseling
  • Cultural Cues — Working with Cultural Diversity in AOD Residential Withdrawal Settings
  • Cultural Cues — Working with Cultural Diversity in AOD Intake and Assessment Settings