Co-morbidity (the 'Can Do' Initiative)

Improving services for the care of those with substance use and mental health issues

About the Program ( Factsheet)

NB: This program ended 30th May 2010, however the Co-morbidity Steering Committee is still active.

The 'Can Do' Initiative: Managing Mental Health and Substance Use in General Practice is a national initiative, funded through the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing as part of the National Comorbidity Initiative

The ‘Can Do’ initiative was designed as a model of primary health care that encouraged multidisciplinary approaches to improve the care of people with substance use and metal health issues. The initiative aimed, in particular, to enhance the ability of general practitioners, practice nurses, allied health professionals (e.g. Mental health workers, alcohol and other drugs workers and community pharmacists) and community services to work together to provide appropriate and coordinated pathways of care.

The co-morbidity project aims to bring together community service providers working with clients with co-morbidity issues (Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs). This is to enable development of a collaborative approach to a treatment model linking the primary health sector with the community services sector.

The Riverina Division of General Practice and Primary Health was successful in securing funding for one of the three categories and this to ensure: maintenance of multidisciplinary networks at a local level.

Resources

• Factsheet

• Co-occurring Guidelines - an overview of the new state and national comorbidity guidelines - Professor Robert Batey, Clinical Advisor, Addiction Medicine, NSW Health
• The Wagga Pathways Tool - What it is and how to use it - Robyn Ridley & Martin Alster, Project Officers, Riverina Division of General Practice and Primary Health, and Calvary Healthcare
• The What, Why and Wherefore of headspace by Barb McKimmey, Youth and Community Engagement Officer, Riverina headspace.
• Screening and Assessment of Comorbidity by Professor Robert Batey
• Hepatitis C and Sexually Transmissable Infections - The crossover between treatment, mental health problems and complementary therapies
  • Hepatitis C - Janine Sutton, Sexual Health development officer, Wagga Wagga Sexual Health Service
  • Hepatitis C and Mental Health - Tina Pollard, GSAHS, Wagga Wagga
• The Stages of Change - Exploring how people change - Dr Aine McGovern, Lecturer in Psychology and Clinical Psychologist, CSU

Contact

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