This project took up the Centre for Mental Health committment to
developing policy guidelines for best practice.
The original Project Officer, Roisin Smith investigated current
practice, in particular, barriers which mediate against good outcomes
for people with dual disorders:
- Interagency Referal Patterns
- Collaborative Clinical Practice
- Staff Education and Development
The project is intended to develop consensual guidelines between
the Mental Health and Alcohol & Other Drug Services to provide best
services for clients with a dual disorder.
The comorbidity project was initiated in 1998, with extensive
interviews being conducted with staff from mental health and Alcohol
and Other Drugs services, consumers and carers. The results
highlighted the difficulties, barriers and needs of service delivery
to clients with both mental health and substance use disorders. An
integrated model of managing comorbidity was developed following
extensive consultation. Beth Matters took over from Roisin Smith
towards the end of 1999 to implement the next phase of the project,
the integrated service model. The primary objective was to encourage
co-management so that Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug
services can work together in providing a better, evidence-based
service. Other developments included the involvement of Aboriginal
health representatives and community members in the Comorbidity
Project discussion process. It was hoped to engage Aboriginal
consumers and health staff to develop the most appropriate and
effective ways of managing comorbidity for indigenous people. THe
programme is no longert current.
