Treatment and support

Effective treatment approaches for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing problem drug use include [45853]:

• counselling
• brief intervention
• peer support
• residential rehabilitation
• medicines or pharmacotherapy (for more information on pharmacotherapies see also the Harm Reduction Portal).

Aboriginal community controlled health services deliver holistic healthcare and have been shown to improve outcomes for communities [45851]. Mainstream services can be adapted to be more culturally secure by:

• planning and tailoring services in partnership with communities to meet local needs
• employing, listening to and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff across services
• providing a friendly and flexible approach that allows time for yarning
• building trust and engagement
• providing holistic care that values connecting to Country, culture, family and kin.