Making treatment services and prevention programs accessible for culturally and linguistically diverse clients

By the Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre (DAMEC)

Number 5.5 June 2010 revised June 2010
for workers

In 2006, 22% of people living in Australia were born overseas, and 16% spoke a language other than English at home. Yet culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) clients are under-represented in alcohol and other drug (AOD) services. Of the closed treatment episodes in 2007–08 in Australia, only 14% were for clients born overseas and only four percent for those who preferred to speak a language other than English.

The limited data we have on the prevalence of AOD use in CLD communities suggest that rates of use are—with some exceptions—generally lower than Australian averages, but there are also other important reasons why CLD clients might be under-represented in treatment services.

This fact sheet looks at what some of the reasons might be.

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