Transcultural Mental Health, also known as the Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre, provides specialist statewide consultation services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) individuals, families, communities and organisations to facilitate culturally responsive mental health care with a focus on complex mental health problems across all age groups and the continuum of care. Primary, secondary and tertiary consultation is provided at consumer, carer, clinician, support worker and organisational levels. In addition a number of specialist functions are delivered in relation to service development, workforce education and early intervention.

Conditions we treat

The following list identifies the most common conditions managed by Transcultural Mental Health:

• depression and anxiety
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• psychosis
• adjustment disorder
• suicidal ideation and self-harm.

Accessing our service

Access to the statewide Transcultural Mental Health is during business hours (8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday) on the following numbers:

• 07 3317 1234 (in Brisbane)
• 1800 188 189 (free call outside Metropolitan Brisbane).

Transcultural Mental Health is not able to respond to acute and emergency matters.

After hours callers in the Metro South area can direct all enquiries to:

• Phone: 1300 MH CALL (1300 64 22 55)
• Fax: 3078 2120

Referrals

Referrals can be made by self, family, friend, multicultural sector agency, mental health service, other health service, or any other service provider in consultation with consumers from all age groups and where possible their family.

Referral is for assessment of complex mental health problems, particularly where there are:

• significant cultural barriers
• mental health problems that arise from complex interactions of settlement and adjustment issues and pre or post migration trauma.

Where possible we would request that our referral form has been completed at the time of referral.

If you would like to refer a consumer for primary consultation, please complete the referral form and consent form then either fax or email it to the intake officer.

If you would like to seek advice, information or discuss the needs of a particular consumer, please feel free to ring and talk to the intake officer between 8.30am – 4pm Monday to Friday.

Toll Free: 1800 188 189
Phone: 07 3317 1234
Fax: 07 3167 8322
Email: tccs@health.qld.gov.au

Downloads

• TCCS Referral Form Template (PDF, 123.57 KB)
• TCCS Consent Form Template (PDF, 294.32 KB)

Services we provide

Transcultural Mental Health works in a prevention and early intervention model to minimise the impact of mental health problems in our multicultural community. We work in partnership with existing providers to facilitate culturally responsive mental health service delivery across the continuum of care.

Typically, the focus is on minimising access barriers, clarifying cultural issues in assessment processes, enhancing engagement with care via psycho-education and support of the consumer and their family and linkages with culturally appropriate support mechanisms.

Specifically we provide:

• clinical and cultural consultation services
• triage and assessment, including socio-cultural assessments
• psychoeducation and support group programs tailored to at-risk group e.g. BRiTA Futures for children, adolescents and adults, transcultural depression and chronic diseases self-management program
• tailored workforce education to build the cultural competency of the workforce community outreach and education e.g. stigma reduction, mental health literacy programs
• partnership development between multicultural and mental health sectors research, planning and policy input.

Therapies

Culturally appropriate therapeutic Interventions in regard to CALD individuals across all ages with mental health presentations and their families fall into four main categories:

• psychoeducation
• brief focused therapy focusing on self-management strategies
• early identification of pathways for culturally appropriate mental health interventions
• medication advice to treating practitioner and consumer.

Consumers will be supported to access a range of biological, psychological and social interventions such as:

• supportive counselling and specialised therapy
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• depression and anxiety management
• specialised torture and trauma counselling and treatment
• community cultural supports.