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 visit 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.