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February 23, 2012
THE 13TH INTERNATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
The 13th International Mental Health Conference will be held from the 6th to the 8th of August 2012 at the Outrigger Inn at the Gold Coast. The theme is "Positive Change; Investing in Mental Health" and the call for papers is open here. The Conference, among over things, will explore the mental health issues of young Australians (aged 18 - 24 years) struggling with schizophrenia, depression, suicidal thoughts, bipolar, anxiety disorders and drug use and drug induced psychosis.
Visit the conference website here.
Posted in: Training & Events
February 23, 2012
WALK ON THE WILDSIDE V: CHANGING GEAR
Walk on the Wildside is back in 2012! Registration is now open for this one day symposium for health professionals examining substance use and society. It takes place on Friday the 18th of May at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Bank. Early Bird registrations are $100. More information here.
Posted in: Training & Events
February 23, 2012
ASSIST-Y RESOURCES
The World Health Organization's Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) is a clinically and scientifically validated questionnaire that screens for all levels of problem or risky substance use in adults. Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA) has developed draft versions of the test for young people using clinical consensus and expert opinion, along with revised materials for delivering the brief intervention and for providing the approporiate intervention.
It's available now here, however pleasenote that they are draft versions only. Feedback should be emailed to dassa@health.sa.gov.au
The ASSIST-Y resources are available from the DASSA website here.
Posted in: Resources for Young People
February 16, 2012
Round 3: National Binge Drinking Strategy CLI Grants Announced
Successful applicants for the third round of National Binge Drinking Strategy Community Level Initiative grants have been announced. Among the recipients are QLD projects such as Australian Red Cross QLD for the Binge on Life program on Palm Island and in Central West communities, the Cloncurry PCYC's Chill Out project, the Mareeba Young and Awesome project created by the Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre, the QLD Remote Aboriginal Media Aboriginal Corporation's In Our Own Words radio project and the Interagency Binge Drinking Working Group from the Carpentaria Shire Council. For more information about each of these projects and the other successful recipients nationwide visit here.
February 16, 2012
Grants for Organisations Working to Improve Opportunities for Disadvantaged Young People
The Matana Foundation for Young People provides grants of up to $10,000 to Australian organisations working to improve opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
February 16, 2012
Attitudes and Perceptions of Health Warning Labels on Alcohol Products
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education is an organisation invested in preventing the harmful use of Alcohol in Australia. Recently they presented the findings of a survey on how we perceive warning labels on alcohol products.Find the report here.
February 10, 2012
VICARIOUS TRAUMA
Working with people who've experienced trauma can have impacts on workers. Vicarious trauma has been identified as an issue for many workers in the helping professions, particularly in the alcohol and drug sector, where many of the people we work with have experienced significant trauma in their lives. The American National Centre on Family Homelessness developed a workbook for professionals dealing with this issue. "What about you? A workbook for those who work with others" contains useful information about self-care and includes strategies that can help deal with some of the difficult issues that we deal with in our work.
Download "What about you? A workbook for those who work with others" (1.3MB PDF)
Posted in: Treatment Tools
February 10, 2012
PARENTS, KIDS AND DRUGS
In the past, parents of young people who use substances have had difficulty accessing support services. The alcohol and drug treatment system is largely geared towards the needs of the person using the substance, but we know that parents of young people who are having alcohol and other drug problems experience significant distress. The University of Queensland in conjunction with the Prince Charles Hospital are conducting research in order to improve our responses to parents of young people experiencing problematic substance use. The researchers have developed a short online survey, which takes around ten minutes.
To access the survey or to find out more information click here.
Posted in: Research
February 10, 2012
SUICIDAL INTENT AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE
The Queensland Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (CCYPCG) published a report in November 2011 which is worth re-visiting. The paper titled "Child Deaths: Suicide Intent" looks at the circumstances surrounding children who commit suicide. The paper looks at data from the Child Death Register from 2004 - 2011. Over this period, 131 deaths of young people were considered suicide. The report found that in many of these cases, the children had communicated their suicidal intentions weeks, months or in some cases years in advance.
Child Deaths: Suicidal Intent (470KB PDF)
Posted in: Research
February 10, 2012
UNDERSTANDING WHY SOME PEOPLE QUIT AND OTHERS KEEP ON USING
James Cook University are conducting a study looking at the reasons why some people keep using substances, while others make the decision to quit.
The study is looking for the views of health professionals, to see whether or not there are different perceptions about Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients' motivations, but also to better understand possible barriers to treatment. To find out more or to participate in the study click one of the links below.
Complete the study here or here.
Posted in: Research