Immediate Response to Mental Distress - AOD Setting

Mental distress can include people who are overwhelmed by their current circumstances, right through to people who have a severe and persistent mental illness. Each year 1 in 5 Australians will experience a mental illness. Many more will experience episodes of poor mental health/mental distress. People who experience mental health illness/distress are overly represented in AOD services. The causes of mental health issues are complex and often people have multiple risk factors including, living in high stress situations such as domestic and family violence, poverty, vulnerability related to a family history of poor mental health, Child Sexual Assault and other forms of child maltreatment, trauma/intergenerational trauma and AOD misuse.

The focus of this course is responding to and working with people who are living with mental distress. Using a trauma informed and recovery orientated approach this workshop will provide an understanding of common mental health concerns/illnesses, possible treatments, and practical strategies to assist staff to work with clients experiencing distress while keeping other clients and staff safe from any crisis.

Relevant case studies across residential, day and community settings will be utilised to explore

• Depression, including suicide, non-suicidal self=injury (self-harm) and bipolar disorder
• Anxiety, including impact of trauma, PTSD, phobias, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder
• Psychosis including schizophrenia and drug induced psychotic episodes
• Substance use problems including aggressive behaviours

Target Group

Caseworkers and support workers in homelessness and associated services