Reform in Australian Mental Health System

This paper argues for the implementation of culturally sensitive reforms in the Australian mental health system to address the high prevalence of drug usage among Indigenous Australians. It discusses the current mental health system component, relevant policies, the need for improvement, and provides recommendations for decentralized policy implementation and cultural competence.

Running head: REFORM IN AUSTRALIAN MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM
REFORM IN AUSTRALIAN MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM
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Introduction
The prevalence of alcohol consumption and illicit drug abuse and consumption across
Indigenous Australians are alarmingly high, due to a number of underlying inadequacies in
cultural competence (Leske et al., 2016). The following paper aims to argue in support of the
need to implement culturally sensitive reforms in the present policies associated with drug usage.
Discussion
Mental Health System Component
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW, 2019) approximately
27% Australians belonging to Indigenous communities were reported to engage in usage of illicit
drugs in 2016. Further, the research by Graham and Clough (2018) reported a high adherence to
lifetime usage of cannabis across 69% within a community of 402 Indigenous Australians. Such
alarmingly high prevalence rates must be addressed at the earliest due to adverse psychological,
physiological, economic and social consequences associated with the consumption and
adherence to drugs.
Relevant Policy
Considering the high adherence to alcohol and drugs which are illicit, across vulnerable
populations such as Indigenous Australians in particular and Australian youth in general, the
National Drug Strategy was formulated by the Department of Health (2017), which aimed to
reduce the usage and adverse consequences associated with illicit drug usage, using the
underlying principles of reduction in the uptake of drugs, reduction and control in the supply of
drugs and reduction in health harms caused by drugs across individuals and families. Such

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strategies are collated under the umbrella term of ‘harm minimization’ within the strategy and
are also incorporated within its subset policy National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Health Plan 2013–2023 (Department of Health, 2017).
Need for Improvement
According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, there is evidence that Australia’s
National Drug Strategy emphasizes more on reduction of harm rather than harm minimization
policies which is characterized by a complete lack of tolerance towards drug consumption and
usage (Coyne, 2015). While such stringent methods are effective for immediate reduction of
drug usage, there is a lack of consideration on the adverse psychological and withdrawal impacts
associated with immediate drug abstinence (Coyne, 2015). Further, as reported by Clough et al.,
(2017), not only is drug usage considered a norm across Indigenous usage, there also continues
to be discrimination across Indigenous Australians, especially those residing in remote areas, in
terms of lack of service accessibility and an unwillingness to be interacted with by mental health
professionals. A lack of consideration of cultural norms, as mentioned above, has been
associated with decreased willingness for Indigenous communities to adhere to therapeutic
interventions (Paradies, 2018).
Recommendations
It is hence recommended that, national bodies emphasize more on its principles of
forming partnerships by decentralizing its policy implementation in collaboration with local
Indigenous communities and families (Hughes et al., 2017). Additionally, considering the
cultural diversity of Aboriginal Australians, policy formulators and health professionals must
appreciate the cultural shifts in drug usage and implement educational and harm minimization
and not reduction policies in a culturally competent manner (Groves, 2018).

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Conclusion
Thus this paper demonstrates the alarming rise in the usage and consumption of illicit
drugs, tobacco and alcohol across Indigenous Australian communities. Along with harm
minimization, there is a need to implement decentralized policy implementation strategies to
ensure local involvement and Indigenous preference consideration in the National Drug Strategy
of the nation.

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References
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Coyne, J. (2015). Time to refresh Australia’s National Drug Strategy | The Strategist. Retrieved 6
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