A rapid review finding that many CALD people use religious and spiritual practices to support their mental health and often turn to religious leaders. It argues for working with faith leaders and including these practices in mainstream care.
Topic: Workforce and cultural responsiveness
-
Predictors of cross-lingual competence in Australian mental health professionals
A survey of Australian mental health professionals about their skills in working across languages. More experience with CALD clients was linked to better skills, but the authors say specific training is still needed for all clinicians.
-
Implementing interpreter training for dementia assessments at national scale using the RE-AIM framework: a mixed-methods evaluation
Evaluated a national training program for interpreters who work in dementia assessments. The training is now freely available and may improve dementia diagnosis for people who speak languages other than English.
-
Professional Interpreters and Vicarious Trauma: An Australian Perspective
Interviews with Australian interpreters about vicarious trauma from interpreting distressing stories. It calls for training, briefing and debriefing so interpreters are protected and supported.
-
Conducting psychotherapy with an interpreter
Interviews with 10 therapists at Foundation House (the Victorian torture and trauma service) about doing therapy with interpreters. It explores the interpreter’s roles and gives practical tips for building empathy and clear roles.
-
Starting conversations about mental health and wellbeing in Australian culturally and linguistically diverse communities
An evaluation of ‘My Mind, My Voice’, a co-designed program where CALD community members were trained to lead mental health conversations. Participants gained confidence and knowledge, and storytelling helped break down stigma.
-
A scoping review of the use of co-design methods with culturally and linguistically diverse communities to improve or adapt mental health services
A scoping review of how co-design has been used with CALD communities to improve mental health services. It finds that different cultural ideas about mental health shape these partnerships and need to be understood.
-
A systematic review of mental health care workers’ constructions about culturally and linguistically diverse people
A systematic review of how mental health workers think about clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The working relationship was most at risk when workers had low cultural competence or ignored race and ethnicity.
-
A trauma informed response to COVID 19 and the deteriorating mental health of refugees and asylum seekers with insecure status in Australia
A discussion paper for nurses and health workers on how COVID-19 worsened the mental health of refugees and people seeking asylum on temporary visas. It offers a trauma-informed way to respond.
-
Staff Perspectives of Safety Planning as a Suicide Prevention Intervention for People of Refugee and Asylum-Seeker Background
Interviews with workers trained in suicide prevention for refugees and people seeking asylum. They saw safety planning as a useful, low-cost tool when it is built together with the client, but noted barriers to using it.