Since 1995 the Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Services of CSAHS
have been working together to address the challenge of comorbidity. In
July 1997 a two year Dual Diagnosis Project commenced with the
appointment of a Project Officer, Dr. Nandi Siegfried.
The aim of the project is to develop an area-wide strategy that
will best meet the needs of those people with a dual diagnosis. Recent
research suggests that in order to offer a comprehensive service to
this client group, mental health staff need to be
"cross-trained" in Drug and Alcohol skills.
Under Dr. Siegfried's guidance, all 542 clinical mental health
staff in Central Sydney were asked to complete a questionnaire to
provide an indication of training needs. In addition, a Resource
Committee comprising key stakeholders was set up and an assessment of
service provision completed.
The project has been met with enthusiasm by staff who currently
provide services to a client group considered to be one of the most
disabled in Australia. The data has been analysed and presented at
several centres, including Midas Training Days in SWSAHS.
The Dual Disorder programme is now in the hands of Jen
Bichel-Findlay. The staff who completed training prior to 1998 have
now been joined by others whose courses have been modified to reflect
evaluation of the earlier training.
It is an aim of the service to have all clinical staff exposed to
dual disorder training as part of their required professional
development.
CSAHS has set up a number of dual disorder groups ("Double
Trouble" groups) in the inpatient centre at Rozelle Hospital and
at several community centres. The groups are non-confronting, based on
a motivational model and have had a strong consumer input into their
design and running.
CSAHS has also set up Dual Diagnosis Carer Support programmes for
people who have a Greek Background.
In 1998 CSAHS in conjunction with consumer representatives, Midas
(South Western Sydney Area Health Service), the Centre for Mental
Health and CEIDA developed a
consumer information leaflet on psychosis and drug use.
