Building cultural competency in the alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector

Number 8.15 June 2010
for workers

The Australian health sector is working to make sure that culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities are provided with services that are culturally competent and so meet their particular needs. To improve cultural competency, it is important that the entire health sector—including all levels of government, policy makers, managers and health professionals—commit to the goal.

Cultural competency is more than just an awareness of cultural differences. It is a set of behaviours, attitudes and policies that work together to improve the capacity of the health system to integrate culture into the delivery of health services. This, in turn, can improve health outcomes.

This fact sheet outlines the NHMRC’s resource Cultural competency in health: a guide for policy, partnerships and participation, and provides an overview of some of the strategies that can be used in the alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector to improve cultural competency and better meet the needs of CLD communities.

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