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Inclusion of marginalised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with neurocognitive disability in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

TOWNSEND, Clare
McINTYRE, Michelle
LAKHANI, Ali
WRIGHT, Courtney
WHITE, Paul
BISHARA, Jason
CULLEN, Jennifer
2018

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Given the ambiguity surrounding the extent and experience of neurocognitive disability (NCD) among marginalised Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, evidence regarding the level and nature of NCD is crucial to ensure equitable access and inclusion into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This paper reports the results of the implementation of The Guddi Protocol (a culturally informed and appropriate screening protocol for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples) at two locations in Queensland. Results indicated high levels of NCD, and additional qualitative data revealed a number of factors associated with the complex disablement of study participants, namely: i) intergenerational trauma; ii) a social context of disadvantage, marginalisation and exclusion; and iii) the nonidentification of disability. The results are linked to implications for NDIS inclusion for this population, and recommendations are made. Unless the extent and nature of complex disability and the issues surrounding culturally safe policy, and service design and engagement are addressed with and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including those who experience complex disablement, marginalised people will continue to be effectively excluded from the NDIS.

 

Disability and the Global South, 2018, Vol.5, No. 2

Culture, Politics and Global Mental Health

TRIBE, Rachel
2014

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This paper critically examines some of the assumptions and politics which underlie the global mental health (GMH) movement; and explores the issue of cultural awareness within western psychiatric thinking and practice. The way distress is labelled has a range of consequences for the individual, their family and society, as well as those who may control or negotiate the descriptors used, the actions taken as a result of these and the resources subsequently allocated. This paper will examine if these are the most useful principles, and if so, who might be the main beneficiaries of these. The importance of context, international, national and health politics, in addition to wealth and power differentials cannot be ignored in the way that the global mental health debate is constructed. Diagnostic classification systems, such as the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), are not neutral documents as is frequently assumed but carry a range of assumptions and represent a number of interest groups. Different cultural constructions, explanatory health beliefs, idioms and local ways of dealing with distress often appear to be seen as additional layers of meaning within the current debate, rather than as the central organising concepts they are for many people. Yet the transfer of western psychiatric ideas and the uncritical generalisation of them around the world (even if made with the best of intentions) can undermine the rich traditions and cultural heritage of many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and could be viewed as a form of neo-colonialism. There are many angles to this debate, including the use of language and the fact that some cultures have concepts and long traditions around ‘mental health’ which are different from those used in ‘the west’. The paper will use the diagnostic category Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as an example to illustrate many of the points made.

 

Disability and the Global South, 2014, Vol. 1 No. 2

Including disabled children in psychosocial programmes in areas affected by armed conflict

VON DER ASSEN, Nina
EUWEMA, Mathijs
CORNIELJE, Huib
2010

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"Children with disabilities are more vulnerable to violence, as well as more likely to experience psychosocial problems in situations of armed conflict than children with no disabilities. All children who live in conflict affected areas have the same rights to psychosocial support, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and in the case of disabled children, additionally the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, children with disabilities are often overlooked in psychosocial programmes. In this article, the authors examine the reasons behind this observed exclusion and suggest ways to increase the participation of children with disabilities"
Intervention, Vol 8, No 1

Supporting persons living with trauma by rebuilding social and community links : an example of a community-based mental health approach after the Rwandan genocide of the Tutsis

PHAN, Xuan
November 2009

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This report provides an overview of the lessons learned from a Handicap International community-based mental health project for children and adolescents experiencing psychological suffering after the Rwandan genocide of the Tutsis. It highlights successes and limitations of the project, as well as recommendations for the project’s continuation. This report would be of interest to mental health practitioners, mental health service providers and community mental health organisations

A handbook for network support agents and other community workers supporting HIV prevention, care, support and treatment

March 2009

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This manual is intended to help network support agents and other community workers be more effective in disseminating standardised information about HIV and AIDS. It "...emphasises the importance of the acquisition of knowledge, skills and the right attitude needed to identify the psychosocial needs of people of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and address these needs by giving information, counselling and appropriate referrals. Knowledge of counselling and psychosocial care, is combined as much as possible with prevention activities such as adopting HIV basic care positive prevention and adherence to treatment"

The medical peace work textbook

ROWSON, M
MELF, K
Eds
2008

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This textbook provides an introduction to medical peace work and includes chapters relating to human rights; the causes and health effects of war and violent conflict; how health workers can promote peace-building and reconstruction; and the health and well-being needs of refugees and immigrants. The book is aimed at doctors, nurses, public health workers and other health professionals, and students. This e-textbook is part of an online course on Medical Peace Work. The book can be consulted, downloaded, or printed for free without registering for the course

HIV and young children : an annotated bibliography on psychosocial perspectives

SHERR, Lorraine
February 2005

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This annotated bibliography offers a practical guide to the content of the references which informed the literature review presented in BVLF Working Paper 33 (Young Children and HIV/AIDS: Mapping the Field). It is intended to help readers who want to go deeper into the issues and explore the original source material. The bibliography presents the references - mostly to peer-reviewed medical or psychology journals - under subject headings such as "disclosure", "interventions", "parentless children", "social development", and more

Looking with a disability lens at the disaster caused by the tsunami in South East Asia

OOSTERS, Barbara
2005

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Disabled people are likely to feel the negative impact of a crisis more than other citizens. Their ability to cope and survive may be completely dependent on others, and the capacity of any family to support its disabled members is keenly tested. Anecdotal evidence from acute emergencies suggests that disabled people suffer particularly high rates of mortality and morbidity. In addition to those who were disabled before the onset of the crisis, many more become disabled

Mental and social health during and after acute emergencies : emerging consensus?

VAN OMMEREN, Mark
SAXNA, Shekhar
SARACENO, Benedetto
January 2005

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This article deals with the controversy of mental health programme during and after acute emergencies. There is no agreement on the public health value of the post-traumatic stress disorder concept or on the appropriateness of separate trauma-focused services. The paper discusses the consensus which is emerging of a broad range of social and mental health strategies, as exemplified by the inclusion of a 'mental and social aspects of health' standard in minimum standards in disaster response

Psychosocial support training manual

WALKER, Lynn
2005

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This document recognises that psychosocial support for children affected by HIV and AIDS is as important as responding to their material needs. It explores children's experience of loss and grief, and suggests ways to deal with aggressive behaviour and to overcome stigma and discrimination. Some of the topics discussed are accompanied by useful handouts. It is designed as a training tool for professionals working directly with children or in community building projects

The memory work trainer's manual : supporting families affected by HIV and AIDS

HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
NATIONAL COMMUNITY OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN UGANDA (NACWOLA)
2005

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This manual guides trainers through a course to support parents, guardians and carers affected by HIV and AIDS, by helping them to share information, hopes and fears with their children; strengthen each child's sense of identity and belonging; plan for the future care of their children. The course is designed to be delivered to: parents and other family members living with HIV and AIDS; future guardians of children affected by HIV and AIDS; community workers and volunteers working with children and families affected by HIV and AIDS. The manual draws significantly on the experiences and ideas of NACWOLA trainers and trainees, as well as those of Healthlink Worldwide and others. The course consists of 12 modules, covering child development, parenting, communication between parents, carers, guardians and children, HIV status disclosure, coping with separation, loss and grief, planning for children's future, involving children in planning, preparation for new care arrangements, making a memory book, and related legal aspects

The journey of life : a community workshop to support children

REGIONAL PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT INITIATIVE (REPSSI)
June 2004

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'The Journey of Life' is a community workshop curriculum to support children. This workshop seeks to address the increasing psychological and social needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS, war, and displacement. Its objective is to raise community awareness of the problems that children face growing up in a time of HIV/AIDS, war, and family disintegration. 'The Journey of Life' assists the community to identify children in need of social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical support. Through dialogue and reflection the community better understands how to use available resources in solving the problems that children encounter and to strengthen the resilience of their children. The workshop covers the areas of meeting children's needs; understanding children's problems; identifying children who need help; building children's strengths; and community mobilisation. The workshop manual can be used without additional training, though further training has been found to be helpful. A Facilitator's Guide accompanies the workshop

Sierra Leone and civil war : neglected trauma and forgotten children

HEEREN, Nicolas
2004

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This article describes the work of Handicap International in working with children and young people in Sierra Leone. It emphasises how the particular nature of different forms of torture created links between the children’s physical trauma and the psychological suffering. This article is useful for practitioners who are working with children and young people who have been the victims and perpetrators of violence
Humanitaire, No 9

Guidelines for the socio-economic reintegration of landmine survivors

VICTOR, Jack
ESTEY, Steven
KNIERIM, Heather Burns
August 2003

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This resource provides informative guidelines about the socio-economic reintegration of mine victims. The guidelines have been divided into two major categories; the first category - pre-conditions for socio-economic reintegration - covers the topics of medical, psychological and rehabilitation services. The second category - target areas for socio-economic reintegration - includes psychosocial support, vocational rehabilitation, economic development, education and community integration and support. These guidelines are useful for policy makers and service providers interested in the socio-economic reintegration of landmine survivors

Building resilience in children affected by HIV/AIDS

MALLMAN, Sr Silke-Andrea
2003

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This is a practical guide for caregivers and teachers consisting of a collection of ideas, theories, tasks and exercises that help understand the behaviour and feelings of children affected by HIV/AIDS. The handbook provides practical advice on how to support children who have experienced loss and death in order to help them to cope

Memory boxes and the psycho-social needs of children : trainer's manual

SINOMLANDO
2003

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This manual describes a training curriculum designed to give community workers and volunteers a basic understanding of the psychosocial needs of vulnerable children, and basic skills in 'memory box' methodology. It is based on a four-day, twelve-session workshop and covers child development, bereavement, loss, stigma, counselling skills and making memory boxes

Making a hero book : a guide for facilitators

MORGAN, Jonathan
2003

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This manual describes one of the tools used in "memory work", an approach to helping families and communities cope with HIV and AIDS. Through a series of art exercises and storytelling, children are encouraged to identify their heroes or role models. This process should help children affected by HIV/AIDS to cope with emotions (sadness, fear, anger), and to develop resilience and a positive approach to life. Through the process of developing a book, children are also encouraged to see themselves as heroes, to rely on their strengths and maximise their potential to overcome the problems they might encounter

Children, HIV/AIDS and communication in South Africa : a literature review

FOX Susan
OYOSI Salome
PARKER Warren
May 2002

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This literature review covers key issues relating to children aged 3-12 and HIV/AIDS, including discrimination, grief, children's rights, and knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS. The impact on the child, family and community is discussed in detail, particularly in terms of the psycho-social impact of bereavement and how this impacts on the child at different stages in its development. Various community programmes within southern Africa are highlighted, which support children to develop life skills. The influence, role and practice of the media in working with and reaching children is addressed, and case studies of South African media projects such as Soul Buddyz and Takalani Sesame are provided

HIV stress in primary school teachers in Zambia

BAGGALEY, Rachel
et al
1999

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A study was made of stress factors experienced by primary school teachers in Zambia after they had attended a course on stress management and counselling skills. Their pupils were significantly affected by poverty, death and illness of parents, fellow-pupils and teachers, teenage sex and pregnancy, violence in the home and, among girls, low self-esteem. The HIV epidemic had a major bearing on these factors, and there were wide-ranging effects on the teachers' own lives. Despite the training they had been given, many teachers felt that they could not adequately counsel their pupils on these matters. The teachers were in need of continuing support and training to enable them to cope with this aspect of their work

Manual : psycho-social support of orphans

MADÖRIN, Kurt
1999

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This manual is a tool for trainers to train concerned community members to assist distressed children, and to facilitate their interventions on the level of awareness, knowledge, skills and behaviour in relation to orphans. Its stated objective is to enhance the capacity of adults to listen and talk to orphans and children of terminally ill parents, and to understand their situation and their needs. In this way the community improves its capacity to cope with some of the consequences of AIDS. In the manual there are 16 modules that rely on participatory methods, each with detailed instructions for the facilitator and a handout for participants. The manual was produced by the Humuliza (Community Based Mental Health for Orphans) project team

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