(2011) Evaluation of the Victorian Dual Diagnosis Initiative

6. Completion of the Reform Process
quite specific content areas, such as the training for senior management, where the area of training
does not readily lend itself to being developed as a unit of competency. In this case, the main concern
is that the same training package is delivered by appropriately skilled trainers across the state. A
proposed outline of a training program is included at Appendix E, which would see training completed
by the end of 2012. The training program is illustrative but could provide a basis for further planning.
The training program should also include a strong emphasis on assisting practitioners with the provision
of evidence-based clinical and non-clinical interventions.
Once the training program is provided, there will then need to be consideration of the following with
regard to developing and implementing training programs:
• Process for scoping training needs (including recognition of prior learning)
• Options for establishing pathways to higher qualifications
The Workforce Development Strategy should also take advantage where possible, of the accredited
mental health, alcohol and other drug and dual diagnosis courses throughout Australia that are
accessible in a variety of ways as well as other approaches.
The funding currently committed to the Reciprocal Rotations strategy should be reallocated in full to
fund the statewide training program and other workforce development strategies.
Training in and of itself is not sufficient to deliver the required reform as is apparent from the previous
chapter on the SDOs. As indicated in Table 6-1, all levels across the mental health and AOD systems
need to play an active role in bring the reform to completion.
Further, the issue of intervention was not really addressed through Key Directions other than to
advocate for the establishment of effective referral pathways between AOD and mental health. Whilst
high prevalence disorders are acknowledged in the document, and referral to primary care as the
proposed option, these disorders were not specifically addressed in the Dual Diagnosis Plan. The plan
called for the application of evidence based interventions but in the absence of mandated treatment
guidelines, this is made more difficult for individual services. It should be acknowledged though, that
the Department did support the development of a set of clinical treatment guidelines for AOD workers by
a VDDI working group in conjunction with Turning Point, although none of the services that were
interviewed are using the document. If a clinical working group is appointed to develop the expanded
role for AOD clinicians around mental health, it would be necessary for them as part of their brief to
inform the creation of appropriate clinical guidelines to accompany the expanded clinical role.
Establishment of the Victorian Institute of Mental Health Workforce Development and Innovation over
the next 12-18 months will necessitate the clarification of its role in relation to building the dual diagnosis
capacity of the three workforces. Shaping the future: The Victorian mental health workforce strategy,
makes very little reference to the establishment of dual diagnosis capability within the clinical mental
health workforce.
The reform will not be complete however until the professional training courses recognise the significant
co-occurrence and impact of AOD and mental health issues and/or are required to provide an adequate
component of their courses that prepare different professionals for dual diagnosis work. Ideally this
would extend to training placements in both AOD and Mental Health settings for every person trained.
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