WA collaboration for substance use and mental health

The WA Collaboration for Substance Use and Mental Health (WACSUMH) was established by the Mental Health Commission and the Drug and Alcohol Office to plan, progress and evaluate initiatives for individuals with both mental health and alcohol and other drug issues.

This group brings together government, non-government and community partners across the mental health, drug and alcohol, health and primary care sectors to progress initiatives towards creating an accessible, integrated and comprehensive service response for people who experience both substance use and mental health problems.

Substance use problems are common among people with mental illness. Studies show that up to 75 per cent of people using alcohol and other drug (AOD) services have also experienced a mental illness.

The WACSUMH has supported the development of an accredited comorbidity training program for General Practitioners and other primary health care professionals. The roll out of this training will be facilitated in 2012/13 by the Western Australian General Practice Network with funding provided jointly by the Mental Health Commission and the Drug and Alcohol Office.

WACSUMH also supported the Drug and Alcohol Office’s workforce development branch in the development and delivery of a comorbidity train-the-trainer program. This program seeks to enhance the capacity of mental health services to provide in-house comorbidity training and support to their staff.

In addition, WACSUMH continued to drive work on integrated pathways, prevention, promotion and early intervention to support people with a mental health problem and/ or mental illness and drug and alcohol problems.

The Mental Health Commission will continue to support the WACSUMH and the Drug and Alcohol Office in improving care for people with substance use and mental health problems in Western Australia.

For more information contact brooke.butler@mentalhealth.wa.gov.au or call 6272 1200.