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Drug prevention services for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Victoria

Tuesday 30 May, 2006

Download this fact sheet: Number 4.19 Drug prevention services for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Victoria [PDF: 432 KB]

Number 4.19  June 2006

for general audience

Drug prevention supports for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Victoria

Introduction

Victoria is recognised as one of the world's most culturally diverse communities. In fact, more than 40 per cent of Victorians were born in another country or have at least one parent who was born overseas; around 13 per cent do not speak English. As a result, many government, health, community and drug and alcohol agencies are seeking to increase their capacity to meet the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. CLD agencies are working to ensure that their own and "mainstream" services are inclusive of their communities.

Schools

In First Language: Creating Conversations

Tel. (03) 9637 3752
A program enabling schools to utilise a trained bilingual facilitator to conduct parent drug information sessions in Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, Macedonian, Spanish, Somali, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Parents and family

ABCD Parenting Young Adolescents

Tel. (03) 9384 8816
Early intervention program, with free, practical sessions to help parents understand and cope better with the challenges of adolescence.

Family and Community Services (MacKillop Family Services)

Tel. (03) 9689 4799
www.mackillop.org.au
Substance Abuse Family Support Program (SAFS) and Strengthening Families Programs. A diverse range of clients use the service, including many from Vietnamese and Horn of Africa backgrounds.

Family Drug Help

Tel. 1300 660 068
Support and information for parents and other family members. A Spanish-speaking worker is available on Saturday afternoons.

Women

Working Women's Health

192 High Street, Northcote
Tel. (03) 9482 3299
Email: info@workingwomenshealth.asn.au 
www.mcwh.com.au
Access to health services, support and discussion groups for immigrant women. Online support groups for women from African, Arabic, Turkish, Vietnamese, rural and prison communities.

Treatment, education and support

Anex

Tel. (03) 9486 6399
Email: info@anex.org.au
www.anex.org.au
The Access and Equity Project aims to improve access to needle and syringe programs by people from CLD backgrounds as well as improve awareness of blood-borne viruses.

Bendigo Community Health Service

Tel. (03) 5434 4330
Offers clinical drug and alcohol services, day programs, counselling and home visits. The service also has a methadone program at the medical centre and withdrawal nurses.

Cambodian Association of Victoria

Tel. (03) 9546 3466
www.cambodianassociation.com.au
Offers counselling, support, referral and advocacy for Cambodians with alcohol and other drug problems.

Cambodian, Loatian and Vietnamese (CLV)
Health and Drug Safety program

Tel. (03) 9387 5202
A health and harm-reduction program working with injecting drug users from CLV communities in Melbourne's Western suburbs.

Cardinia Casey Community Health Service

Tel. (03) 8768 5147 (general inquiries)
Tel. (03) 87922330 (SEADS for counselling)
www.southernhealth.org.au
The service has a CLD Access worker who provides the service with translated resources.

Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health

Tel. (03) 9427 8766
www.ceh.org.au
Support for health service providers who want to enhance their responsiveness to clients from non-English speaking backgrounds

Goulburn Valley Community Health Service Inc

Tel. (03) 5823 3200
www.gvchs.com.au
Offers parent education program for Turkish, Arabic and Filipino communities.

Maroondah Addictions Recovery Project (MARP)

Tel. (03) 9737 6540
Email: marp@marp.org.au
The Residential Rehab and Supported Accommodation Programs can provide counselling and self help written material in a variety of languages and interpreters are available.

Multicultural Access and Support Program Prahran Mission

Tel. (03) 9692 9500
www.prahranmission.org.au
Works with people with dual diagnosis, referring clients to specialist services that are culturally sensitive and also linking clients with their own ethnic communities and the wider community.

North Richmond Community Health Centre

Tel. (03) 9429 5477
www.nrchc.com.au
Has a CLV program that provides direct case management and a link between alcohol and other drug services and ethno specific services.

Personal Support Program (run by Migrant Information Centre North East)

Tel. (03) 9466 4933
www.mrcne.org.au
Counselling service for people with drug and alcohol and mental health issues. It is a specialist CLD program and clients are referred through Centrelink.

Resourcing Health and Education in the Sex Industry (RhED)

Tel. (03) 9534 8166
www.sexworker.org.au
Offers drug and alcohol information, education, support, advocacy and referral to sex workers in Victoria. Uses interpreters frequently, and has a CLD worker and a Thai bilingual worker.

Salvation Army—Eastcare Drug and Alcohol Service

Tel. (03) 9851 7800
A broad range of people from CLD backgrounds access the service, and family members are encouraged to accompany clients if cultural or language issues arise.

South East Alcohol & Drug Services (SEADS)

Tel. (03) 8792 2330
Email: seads@southernhealth.org.au
www.southernhealth.org.au/seads
The CLV Drug Service Initiative offers case management, counselling and support to members of the Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese communities. The Indo-Chinese Supported Accommodation project provides drug and alcohol affected clients of all ages with counselling, treatment and detox facilities.

The Buoyancy Foundation of Victoria

Tel. (03) 9429 3322
www.buoyancy.org.au
Provides drug and alcohol counselling, therapeutic activities and self care resources. Needle and Syringe Program, community development projects, and drug diversion for justice clients are available.

TRANX Inc. (Tranquilliser Recovery and New Existence Inc.)

Tel. (03) 9886 0955
Email. info@tranx.org.au
www.tranx.org.au
Provides information in 22 different languages via the website and will use interpreters when required.

Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS)

(03) 9309 0055 (Head Office)
(03) 9391 0195 (Sub Office)
Email: mail@vass.org.au
www.vass.org.au
Specialised drug and alcohol staff who provide counselling, information sessions, women's support groups and drug diversion activities to Arabic-speaking-background (ASB) communities.

Vietnamese Welfare Resource Centre
(Jesuit Social Services)

Tel. (03) 9376 2033
Email: vwrc@jss.org.au
http://www.jss.org.au/content/view/56/86/
Undertakes drug diversion work including camps and picnics as well as parent information sessions. Provides housing, immigration and social welfare support to people from the Vietnamese community.

Voyage Drug and Alcohol Service

Tel. (03) 9296 1228
Email: voyage.intake@isispc.com.au 
www.isispc.com.au/programs/voyage.php
Offers counselling to individuals and families affected by alcohol and other drugs problems. The service has multilingual brochures and workers frequently use interpreters.

Translation services

Central Health Interpreter Service

Tel. (03) 9370 1222 or 1300 655 150
Email: chisadm@chis.org.au 
www.inform.webcentral.com.au/t_chis.htm
Health, legal and general interpreter services by phone, video-conference or onsite, 24 hours, 7 days a week, in 75 community languages.

Translating and Interpreting Service

Tel. 131 450
Policy and advocacy

Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria

Tel. (03) 9349 4122
www.eccv.org.au
Advocates on behalf of all ethnic communities pursuing representation, inclusion, participation, acknowledgement, and equal opportunity and access for those of non-English speaking background.

Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria

380 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Information on equal opportunity laws and how to seek redress for discrimination and harassment of refugees.

Victoria Legal Aid

Tel. (03) 9269 0120 (Metro)
Tel. 1800 677 402 (Country)
www.legalaid.vic.gov.au
For enquiries in all languages; telephone information service provides free legal information.

Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs

Tel. (03) 9208 3166
Email: multicultural.affairs@dvc.vic.gov.au
www.voma.vic.gov.au
Provides policy advice to the Victorian government on multicultural affairs, immigration and community relations.

Websites

Australian Drug Information Network (ADIN)

www.adin.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=37
Comprehensive list links to Australian online services and resources for CLD communities. 

Health Translations Directory

www.healthtranslations.vic.gov.au
Translated health information online.

HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C

www.multiculturalhivhepc.net
Information available in 10 languages.

Multicultural DrugInfo—DrugInfo Clearinghouse

www.druginfo.adf.org.au/multicultural
A range of online resources providing drug information for CLD groups and general information on drugs and drug prevention.

Multicultural Mental Health Australia

www.mmha.org.au
Cultural Awareness Tool guides primary care practitioners on cultural awareness and sensitivity in working with CLD clients.

NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service

www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au
More than 450 publications on health-related topics, in 15 community languages.

QUIT

Tel. 131 848
www.quit.org.au
Resources available in nine languages.

Victorian State Government

www.health.vic.gov.au/drugs/lang.htm 
Information on drugs and their effects available in 10 languages.

Other supports 

VicDeaf

Tel. (03) 9473 111
Tel. (03) 9473 1199 (TTY)
Email: cwtduty@vicdeaf.com.au
Provides drug and alcohol information and education for people with a hearing impairment.

Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture

Tel. (03) 9388 0022
Provides direct care in the form of counselling and support, advocacy, family support, group work, psycho-education, information sessions and natural therapies.

Victoria Police—Multicultural Advisory Unit

Tel. (03) 9247 5233
www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=2
Police Multicultural Liaison Officers distribute drug and alcohol information produced by the Police Drug and Alcohol Strategy Unit.

Migrant Resource Centres

Migrant Resource Centres provide settlement services to assist newly arrived migrants and refugees to participate equitably in Australian society as soon as possible after arrival.

Geelong Migrant Resource Centre

153 Pakington Street, Geelong West
Tel (03) 5221 6044
Email: gmrc@geelong.org

Gippsland Migrant Resource Centre

100-102 Buckley Street, Morwell
Tel. (03) 5133 7072
Email: gmrc@gippsland.net.au

Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne)

333 Mitcham Road, Mitcham
Tel. (03) 9873 1666
Email: sherbst@miceastmelb.com.au

Migrant Resource Centre North West Region

45 Main Road West, St Albans
Tel. (03) 9367 6044
Email: mrcnw@mrcnorthwest.org.au

Migrant Resource Centre North East

251 High Street, Preston
Tel. (03) 9484 7944
Email: mrcne@mrcne.org.au

Migrant Resource Centre Westgate Region

78-82 Second Avenue, Altona North
Tel. (03) 9391 3355
Email: wmrca@bigpond.com

Oakleigh Outreach Service

17 Chester Street, Oakleigh
Tel. (03) 9563 4130
Email: mrcoak@vicnet.net.au

South Central Region Migrant Resource Centre

40 Gratton Street, Prahran
Tel. (03) 9510 5877
Email: mrcprah@vicnet.net.au

South Eastern Region Migrant Resource Centre

Level 1, 314 Thomas St, Dandenong
Tel. (03) 9706 8933
Email: sermrc@vicnet.net.au

More information

For more information on drugs and drug prevention contact the DrugInfo Clearinghouse on tel. 1300 85 85 84, email druginfo@adf.org.au.