Workers’ Learning Needs Regarding Mental Health in Aboriginal,Same-Sex Attracted and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Young People

Abstract

Objective: Some groups of young people experience elevated rates of mental disorders and low rates of uptake of mental health services. Because an association between staff competence and uptake of services has been demonstrated a key objective of this paper is to identify relevant staff learning needs.

Method: A learning needs analysis was undertaken of adolescent mental health workers employed in the health and education sectors in NSW, Australia, to explore their learning needs regarding Aboriginal, same-sex attracted and culturally and linguistically diverse young people.

Results: Significant differences were found between learning needs in relation to location but no significant differences were found in relation to agency or experience. Participants ranked their learning needs as high and their knowledge and skills in working with depression and related disorders in these young people as low.

Conclusion: This article highlights issues that may be of interest to clinicians and their managers regarding training, policy and service delivery.

Keywords

Aboriginal adolescent mental health cultural and linguistic diversity leaning needs gay

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