People experiencing co-occurring mental health–substance use issues (‘dual diagnosis’) are highly prevalent, the expectation not the exception, in most mental health settings. Mental health workers face many challenges in providing effective responses to people with co-occurring mental health–substance use issues. This session will explore those challenges and profile current best practice approaches to working with people with co-occurring mental health–substance use issues.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this interactive, 1-hour, session participants will be:
- Aware of policies guiding our responses to people experiencing co-occurring mental health-substance use (MH-SU) issues
- Able to identify why addressing co-occurring SU issues is core business for Victorian MH workers
- Familiar with several approaches to identifying the presence of (mild to severe) co-occurring SU issues
- Familiar with the components of an integrated MH-SU assessment
- Able to discuss 2 possible approaches to providing integrated treatment of co-occurring SU concerns
- Aware of current best practice approaches to responding to people experiencing co-occurring MH-SU issues
Facilitator: Gary Croton
Gary is a mental health-substance use nurse who has specialised in dual diagnosis capacity building since 1998. His current role is the Victorian Dual Diagnosis Initiative, Clinical Nurse Consultant, for Hume-Border region, auspiced by Albury Wodonga Health. Gary is responsible for a range of dual diagnosis-related publications and tools to assist services and workers in working effectively with people experiencing co-occurring mental health-substance use concerns.
Gary is the creator and administrator of the Dual Diagnosis Australia & New Zealand website. He has been the recipient of several awards including the State Nursing Excellence Award for Mental Health and Drugs Nursing and a Victorian Travelling Fellowship investigating integrated treatment of mental health-substance use in the UK, USA & NZ. Gary is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.
