Postgraduate - UnitCMH5006 - Transcultural mental health

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational Unit	School of Psychological Sciences
Offered	Clayton Second semester 2014 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Professor Lenore Manderson

Synopsis

The effects of cultural background on the definitions of mental illnesses and the implications of cultural and community structures for the delivery of mental health services. Major areas covered include adaptation and acculturation, characteristics of Aboriginal and ethnic communities in Australia, racism and prejudice, the mental health of Aboriginal and immigrant communities in Australia, cultural assumptions of standard methods of assessment and treatment, explanatory models of illness, State mental health policy, psychiatric service utilisation, and gaps in current service provision.

Outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

Develope a greater sensitivity to the impact of trauma, migration and settlement on mental health;
Explore definitions of mental illness across cultures and the continuing debate concerning differing conceptions of mental illness;
Gain an understanding of the cultural factors in assessment and treatment approaches;
Gain knowledge of the major national and Victorian policy approaches to providing mental health services to Aboriginal and ethnic communities; and
Develope an understanding of current gaps in service provision to Aboriginal and ethnic communities in preparation for participation in policy development, service delivery and evaluation.

Assessment

Essay (3000 words) (50%)
Applied Learning Exercises (1500 words) (25%)
On-Campus Workshop/Alternative Assessment (10%)
Moodle participation and contribution (15%)
All assessments must be passed to pass the unit

Chief examiner(s)

Professor Lenore Manderson

Off-campus attendance requirements

Two day on-campus workshop