CO-MORBIDITY – MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS

The training
The aim of this two-day workshop is to provide an overview of theories and practical issues for working with people living with mental health (MH) and alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues.

The workshop aims to provide information and skills for improving the clinical practice of the workshop participants in order to benefit the people they work with.

The outcomes
By the end of the two day workshop participants will be able to:

· Understand the complex relationships between MH and AOD
· Explain key terminology and explore the role of language
· Describe the concept of “dual recovery”
· Discuss the impact of substances on mental health
· Demonstrate skills and the use of tools for assessing MH and AOD
· Understand readiness for change within the MH and AOD context
· Discuss strategies for addressing MH and AOD concerns
· Explain the process of working collaboratively with specialist services
· Demonstrate skills for addressing relapse in the MH and AOD context
· Discuss the NSW and Federal Guidelines for working with co-morbidity.
Date – 31st October and the 1st November Times – 9.15 am – 5pm
VENUE – Wesley Conference centre – 220 Pitt Street SYDNEY

COST – full fee $330

This workshop has been endorsed for CPD hours with APS and AASW and The College of Nursing

For additional information and to register on-line – go to – http://mybookingmanager.com/comorbidity

SECOND EVENT

MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING WORKSHOP

The training

Motivational interviewing is a therapeutic approach, originally developed in the alcohol and other drug field, which has application in a range of other behaviour change contexts. Motivational interviewing is an interpersonal style designed to assist clients to explore and resolve ambivalence, and to I increase motivation for change. This workshop utilises the principles and practices of client-centred counselling to encourage the client to move through the stages of change. Client resistance is viewed as evidence of conflict or ambivalence, and is met with reflection rather than a confrontational style.

The aim of the workshop is to provide an overview of the theory and practice of motivational interviewing with a particular focus on its application within the clinical reality of the workshop participants.

The outcomes

Participants will have the opportunity to:
· demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of motivation and ambivalence
· identify the stages of change
· define the principles of motivational interviewing
· identify and practice the skills and strategies involved in motivational interviewing
· demonstrate strategies for “Rolling with Resistance”
· Define strategies for working with clients who have relapsed

The presenter

Alison Bell has a background in Nursing and Psychology, and has worked in the alcohol and drugs field since 1987 and as a training consultant for the past 18 years. In 1989 in collaboration with Dr Stephen Rollnick, Alison participated in researching the clinical application of the motivational interviewing model at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. Alison has an ongoing consultancy role with the NSW Institute of Psychiatry, NSW Department of Education and Training, Juvenile Justice and the Mental Health Co-ordinating Council.

7th & 8th November, 2011
VENUE –Mental Health Association – Level 5/ 80 William Street SYDNEY

COST – full fee $330

This workshop has been endorsed for CPD hours with APS and AASW and The College of Nursing

For additional information and to register on-line – go to – http://mybookingmanager.com/motivational

For information on both courses and to be included on our database for future notification please contact Suzanne Wood – at Wesley Mission Mental Health Training Unit – 9857 2777 or email – Suzanne.wood@wesleymission.org.au

Hep C: Take Control
is a six week group program run by Hepatitis Victoria. In a supportive group environment, participants will work together to share skills and develop strategies to better manage their condition and improve their symptoms.

Some topics to be covered are:
· Better management of hepatitis C and liver-related health problems
· Treatment and dealing with side effects
· Working effectively with doctors and other health professionals
· Making healthy lifestyle changes

Hep C: Take Control is suitable for anyone with hepatitis C, or for those who have successfully cleared the virus, but are experiencing ongoing health effects. There will be an emphasis on respecting the privacy and confidentiality of participants.

Bookings are essential as the courses are very popular and fill up quickly!

Where: Hepatitis Victoria office, Suite 5, 200 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Date: Starting Wednesday November 2nd (final session Wednesday December 7th)
Time: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
RSVP by 26th October

If you are interested in taking part in the six week program, would like to refer someone, or would like find out more about Hep C: Take Control, phone the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 703 003 or email Louisa Walsh, Hep C: Take Control program coordinator – Louisa@hepvic.org.au

Another Turning Point seminar coming soon:

Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre and the Australian Drug Foundation

Invite you to

‘Developing an Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Strategy for Victoria: What do we need?’

When: Wednesday 21 September 2011,

Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Where: William Angliss Institute Conference Centre, 555 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

As the Victorian Government works on a whole-of-government Alcohol and Drug Strategy, it is timely to consider what the key issues are in terms of alcohol and drug use in our community. Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre and the Australian Drug Foundation will present a full-day symposium to consider the opportunities and challenges for a whole-of-government approach.

Speakers will explore what existing evidence does or does not tell us in terms of opportunities for prevention, treatment responses, system and service configurations, community engagement and population-based approaches.

The symposium will seek ideas and proposals from attendees, as well as identify key issues from across all sectors of government.

Registrations are now open.

Register for the Symposium by going to http://www.turningpoint.org.au/

Older people and alcohol and other drugs seminar

Australia’s population is ageing rapidly. Older Australians are more likely to drink on a daily basis, take multiple medications, have multiple medical problems and be socially isolated. Despite this, older people are under-represented in alcohol and other drug (AOD) services.

To examine these issues, DrugInfo will be running a seminar on 5 September 2011. This free interactive seminar will also consider issues from the upcoming DrugInfo newsletter and Prevention Research Quarterly “Older people and alcohol and other drugs”.

Presenters:

Prof. Dan Lubman—Director, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre and Professor of Addiction Studies and Services, Monash University

Jo Marston—Psychologist, Benzodiazepine Program, Reconnexion

Simon Ruth—Director, Complex Services, Community Health, Peninsula Health

Dr Alice Rota-Bartelink—Research Manager, Wintringham

Date
Monday 5 September 2011

Venue
William Angliss Conference Centre
William Angliss Institute of TAFE
Level 5, 555 LaTrobe Street (cnr King St.), Melbourne.

Time
9:30am–12:30pm (9:00am registration)

Bookings are strictly limited, so you are advised to book early.
Bookings close at 4:00 pm on Thursday 1 September 2011.

For more information, or to book your place, tel. 1300 85 85 84 or send your name, organisation and contact phone number to druginfo@adf.org.au.

What if you can’t attend?
Approximately 2 weeks after the seminar, the presentations will be available for download from the DrugInfo website.

Beyond an Effect Size: Innovations in Thinking & Practice

7-9 March 2012

Auckland, New Zealand

HMA is pleased to announce the second International Symposium on Motivational Interviewing (ISMI). The event will be held in Auckland, New Zealand on 7-9 March 2012.

Keynote address by Theresa Moyers, PhD – University of New Mexico (USA) & Allan Zuckoff, PhD – University of Pittsburgh (USA)

· Pre-Symposium professional development workshops: Advanced MI & Change Talk -Terri Moyers/Joel Porter; Working with Co-exisiting Problems – Allan Zuckoff & Supervision & Coaching – Eileen Britt/Mark Wallace-Bell

· Two-days of interactive presentations by colleagues from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and beyond

The venue for ISMI is the Stamford Hotel located in the heart of the city

Call for Papers

We are looking forward to covering a wide range of innovative, informative and creative presentations on the key themes of ISMI: Beyond an Effect Size: Innovations in Thinking and Practice. We are interested in hearing about scientific and practice-based papers that inform people about the different ways MI is taught, practiced, integrated, culturally adapted and researched across professions around the world. All presentations will be in a plenary format for thirty minutes followed by fifteen minutes of discussion and questions.

· Submitted abstracts should be 250 words or less.

· Abstracts due date: 17 October 2011

o Please include contact information

o Submitted in Pages or Word format to joel.porter@hma.co.nz

For more registration information please contact: joel.porter@hma.co.nz

Interesting lecture by the sounds of it:

Dr Christy Newman

recipient of the Academy of the Social Sciences of Australia’s 2010 Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research

is giving a lecture on Wednesday 10 August (6pm to 8pm)

“Workforce worries: the changing worlds of HIV medicine and the general practitioners who provide it.”

Health workforce shortages are commonly described in media and policy discourse as an increasing problem for many ‘advanced liberal’ nations, including Australia. While the structural and economic
explanations for this have become the subject of considerable debate and resourcing, less attention is paid to the social meanings ascribed to particular areas of health care work and to how these might also shape career and employment trajectories. This lecture will consider what a more constructivist approach to understanding the ‘problem’ of workforce shortages might contribute. In particular, I will introduce the first national study of the HIV general practice workforce and explore some of the changing clinical, professional and political meanings of HIV medicine for the general practitioners who provide care to people living with HIV around the country.

at the University of New South Wales (Tyree Room, John Niland Scientia Building, Library Road, Kensington Campus).

FREE ADMISSION, BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL

Those interested in attending should RSVP to assa.secretariat@anu.edu.au ; ph 02 62491788 by 3 August.

Dr Christy Newman is a Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for HIV Social Research where she has contributed to a wide range of research projects in HIV and blood borne viruses, general practice and primary health care, Aboriginal health and health in the media, since completing her PhD in 2004. She has a disciplinary background in communication and cultural studies, and her strengths lie in applying qualitative social research tools to the fields of public health and health services, with a particular focus on conceptual framing, cultural politics, representation and discourse. Her current research is mostly focused on the experiences and aspirations of the Australian health care workforce and the patients with whom they work. She is particularly interested in the changing meanings of work and profession in general practice and primary health care, especially for those clinicians and allied health workers who are engaged with diverse populations, often marginalised or affected by social stigma in different ways, such as people living with HIV, gay men, Illicit drug users and indigenous Australians. Dr Newman is the recipient of the 2010 Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research, an award established by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in memory of a past Academy President, Professor Paul Francis Bourke (1938-1999).

For those attending the lecture, the map of UNSW Kensington at the attached link, may be helpful. The map reference for the venue is G19.

http://www.facilities.unsw.edu.au/Maps/maps.html

Professor Fred Hilmer AO, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of New South Wales and Professor Barry McGaw AO, President ASSA, cordially invite guests to stay for refreshments at the conclusion of the lecture.

Beyond an Effect Size: Innovations in Thinking & Practice

7-9 March 2012

Auckland, New Zealand

HMA is pleased to announce the second International Symposium on Motivational Interviewing (ISMI). The event will be held in Auckland, New Zealand on 7-9 March 2012.

Keynote address by Theresa Moyers, PhD – University of New Mexico (USA)

· Pre-Symposium professional development workshops

· Two-days of interactive presentations by colleagues from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and beyond

The venue for ISMI is the Stamford Hotel located in the heart of the city

Call for Papers

We are looking forward to covering a wide range of innovative, informative and creative presentations on the key themes of ISMI: Beyond an Effect Size: Innovations in Thinking and Practice. We are interested in hearing about scientific and practice-based papers that inform people about the different ways MI is taught, practiced, integrated, culturally adapted and researched across professions around the world. All presentations will be in a plenary format for thirty minutes followed by fifteen minutes of discussion and questions.

· Submitted abstracts should be 250 words or less.

· Abstracts due date: 17 October 2011

o Please include contact information

o Submitted in Pages or Word format to joel.porter@hma.co.nz

For more registration information please contact: joel.porter@hma.co.nz

QADREC is offering a new course within the University of Queensland’s Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Studies.
This course is offered face to face (internal mode) Semester 2, 2011 on Wednesdays 9am -11am at the School of Population Health, Herston, Brisbane. It will also be offered in distance education/flexible delivery mode for students outside of the Brisbane area.

PUBH7029 – Drugs and Young People
Individual levels of drug use generally peak during early adulthood. But drug use among young people has long evoked public controversy and uncertainty in the policy arena. Why do many young people choose to experiment with drugs? What are the health and social consequences of different patterns of use? Are current public health interventions appropriate? This course provides students with a framework for understanding young people’s changing patterns of legal and illegal drug use. Cultural representations of drug use and policy responses are critically analysed and evaluated.

For further information please contact Clinton Kempnich (07)3344670 or Yvonne Flanagan (07)33655189 or visit the QADREC website at

http://uq.edu.au/qadrec/