In this activity you can check your knowledge of providing mental health services for people from a cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Write your own response to the following questions. Print your answer to give to your trainer. Then check your responses with the model answers. | ||
Some of the sorts of things you have to consider when working with people from cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds include:
- different people from different cultures may have different beliefs and word views
- some cultures may believe that mental illness is a spiritual rather than a medical or psychological issue
- different members of a particular CALD group are not all the same
- different people from the same region (eg Middle East) have different racial, cultural and religious backgrounds
- some CALD groups may mistrust authorities because they have experienced war or political persecution
- in some cultures family members may see themselves as a single client group
- symptoms of mental illness may vary from one culture to another.
Some of the barriers that CALD people may have in accessing mental health services include:
- from different cultures may have different beliefs about mental issues
- language barriers
- fear of government services based on experience in country of origin
- fear that service providers may not understand or be sensitive to their cultural/religious beliefs and practices
- lack of knowledge of the structure of mental health services in Australia
- racism
- lack of culturally appropriate services
- fear of removal from their families/communities.
Some strategies for working with CALD people include:
- providing culturally appropriate services
- providing information in different languages
- employing CALD interpreters/language speakers
- undertaking cultural awareness training
- consulting with community members
- explaining treatment procedures and options
- treating people with dignity and respect.
Some of the things you may need to consider when working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people experiencing mental health issues include:
- providing same gender workers (eg male workers for male consumers)
- providing language speakers
- seeing mental health wellbeing of an individual as associated with the wellbeing of the community
- respecting cultural beliefs
- understanding that there are differences between Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
- understanding differences between urban, rural and remote approaches
- working in context of community protocols.