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Click on the links below to find out more about the Transcultural Mental Health Centre


Background  

The NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre (TMHC) is a state wide service that was established in 1993. The TMHC's mission is to work in partnership with mental health services, consumers, carers and the community to improve the mental health of people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities living in NSW.  


Goals

The goals of the TMHC are to:

  • work closely with NSW Health, particularly the NSW Health, Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Office, and with other key partners, in promoting and developing mental health policies, programs and services which ensure access and equity of service provision for people from CALD communities
  • promote partnerships with consumers, carers, non-government organisations and mental health service providers in the planning, management and evaluation of mental health services to ensure the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services for people from CALD communities
  • establish partnerships with mental health, health and other service providers across NSW, including rural, regional and remote areas, to assist them to develop skills in caring for the mental health of people from CALD communities
  • enhance the skills and capacity of mental health professionals in providing culturally appropriate assessment, diagnosis and treatment for people from CALD communities
  • support ongoing research into the mental health and service needs of people from CALD communities and into the evaluation of mental health services and programs to assess their effectiveness in meeting these needs

TMHC’s programs emphasise the importance of recognising and responding to cultural, linguistic and religious diversity in improving the mental health and well being of  people from CALD communities in NSW. 

TMHC works  in partnership with mental health services, consumers, carers and the community to achieve its aims. This partnership model is central to the Centre’s philosophy.  The Centre operates  in parallel with mainstream mental health service providers as a specialist resource to assist carers and consumers from CALD communities to obtain better access to services. The Centre is a unit of the Diversity Health Institute (DHI), a coalition of public health organisations that focus on the health needs of CALD communities throughout Australia. TMHC works in cooperation with other DHI organisations to deliver services and produce resources.

TMHC’s programs emphasise the importance of recognising and responding to cultural, linguistic and religious diversity in improving the mental health and well being of  people from CALD communities in NSW. 

The Centres approach is two pronged; 

 

  • Direct services provided through the TMHC Clinical Services Consultation model and Outreach Clinics and
  • Resource Development and Education and Training

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Clinical Consultation and Assessment Service Model  

The TMHC Clinical Consultation and Assessment Service provides culturally specific support to mainstream workers. TMHC clinicians assist in accurately assessing CALD clients and in the development of culturally appropriate treatment plans. Mainstream workers remain responsible for overall clinical management. This approach reduces duplication of services and allows the concentration of resources where they are most needed.  

The TMHC Clinical Consultation and Assessment Service provides culturally specific support to mainstream workers. TMHC clinicians assist in accurately assessing CALD clients and in the development of culturally appropriate treatment plans. Mainstream workers remain responsible for overall clinical management. This approach reduces duplication of services and allows the concentration of resources where they are most needed.  

A key strength of the model is its flexibility. The Service utilises the skills of over 130 bicultural and bilingual mental health professionals speaking over 53 languages, including new and emerging languages. These workers can be deployed in any region in NSW.

The flexibility of the TMHC workforce allows the service to address the needs of a range of people from those in the early stages of an illness to those with long-term mental health problems. The Service takes a whole of life span approach to mental health and can cater for children, adolescents, adults, older people, families and carers. The service also assists people at different stages of their migration experience, ranging from members of newly arrived communities, long term residents or second generation migrants as well as refugee populations and specific at-risk or vulnerable groups.

Click here to go to the Clinical Consultation and Assessment Service page

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Workforce Development and Community Capacity Building 

In addition to its clinical services, TMHC develops resources and provides workforce development opportunities. TMHC’s workforce development programs are designed to provide ongoing professional learning and clinical skill development to enhance the ability of mainstream services to provide appropriate care for consumers from CALD backgrounds.  These can be delivered as in-service programs, specific training sessions or as clinical supervision.

Click here to view and order our resources
Click here to go to our Workforce Development page

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   Last Updated 19 Jul 2011 

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