Workshop and Forum on mental health issues for people from CALD backgrounds in the NT

MMHA recently hosted a forum on mental health issues for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds living in the Northern Territory.

The forum was held on Friday 23 May in Darwin and followed on from similar mental health forums hosted by MMHA in Adelaide and Hobart.

The program for this event included a workshop titled: “Cultural and Language Issues in Mental Health” presented by the State Liaison and Policy Coordinator from the Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre, Greg Turner.

It also included a forum with a panel of local speakers who spoke about mental health services in the NT, CALD consumer perspectives, challenges faced by GPs when treating patients from CALD backgrounds who are also living with a mental illness, and providing mental health services to people from refugee backgrounds.

Participants broke into groups during the Friday gathering to discuss the local CALD consumer & carer issues, the multicultural mental health promotion needs for the NT, primary care providers and clinical issues in mental health, and the issues for refugees and new emerging communities.

Mental health service providers, GPs and other health professionals, mental health consumers and carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, multicultural and ethno-specific organisations, and other interested people are all invited to attend this workshop and forum funded by MMHA.

The overall aim of the event was to provide training on transcultural mental health issues and to identify the main mental health needs and issues facing CALD consumers living in the NT and how MMHA can assist in strengthening links between consumers, carers and appropriate services.

It also provided a platform to explore how the Territory and Commonwealth Governments can assist in addressing the mental health promotional needs for local CALD communities.

Greg Turner's powerpoint presentation for his workshop on Cultural and Language Issues in Mental Health can be downloaded.

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