Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities in times of crisis
Over the past month we have all watched news of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East escalate. As a result, the mental health implications have been detrimental for both Israeli and Palestinian people living in Australia who have family and loved ones affected overseas
Mental Health Australia supports the Australian Government’s recent $50 million commitment to support local communities affected by the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, along with the additional $3 million of funding for targeted mental health and community wellbeing support services. These funds will be used to address psychological harm and community distress, and be delivered through the Program of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma and targeted Primary Health Networks.
$6 million for mental health and wellbeing support will also go to students in Jewish and Islamic schools and students of Jewish and Islamic faith in government schools, recognising the impact of the conflict on young people in these communities.
This week The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) released an information sheet for communities, educators and health professionals to understand the impact of international conflict on people who have experienced refugee-related trauma and how to respond. This resource outlines common signs of trauma in adults and young people, how people can access urgent support if they are concerned about someone’s wellbeing, as well as details about the support FASSTT agencies provide. The Victorian FASSTT member agency, Foundation House, also has a suite of helpful resources for services and schools to support students, youth, and those working with survivors of traumatic experiences including: a tip sheet for supporting youth and families during an international crisis, a guide for responding to students’ trauma reactions, and a self-care resource for those providing support.
At our recent two-day Embrace Multicultural Mental Health stakeholder meeting in Melbourne, Mental Health Australia brought together our diverse group of experts from across the multicultural and mental health sectors, who continue to advocate for increased culturally responsive and trauma-informed mental health supports for Australia’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities.
It was apparent throughout the two-day meeting that overarching issues experienced across the sector – such as increasing levels of service demand and difficulties attracting and retaining staff – are often further pronounced among those organisations specifically supporting CALD communities. In particular, the challenges posed by existing funding models within the mental health system were called out as being of great concern. These funding models often run counter to best practices, as rigid timelines and agreed outputs often hinder effective engagement, genuine co-design, and therefore building trust, potentially causing more harm and re-traumatisation.
Another critical aspect discussed at our Embrace stakeholder meeting was the importance of addressing the stigma associated with mental ill-health and suicide. Data from the AIHW report, Health of refugees and humanitarian entrants in Australia, released on Monday, suggests that mental ill-health outcomes are less common in CALD populations, however, this is likely due to underreporting as a result of stigma and/or mental health care being accessed through other pathways that are not captured in the data. Many humanitarian entrants also may be reluctant to seek mental health support due to psychological trauma and cultural beliefs.
Helpful resources on how to support CALD communities are regularly added to our Embrace website. The Embrace website is also a source of free multilingual resources on a range of common mental health conditions and concerns for community members.
It is vital we collectively work towards finding mental health solutions for our CALD communities in need.
Have a good weekend,
Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia
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