title: Enhancing cultural responsiveness: the development of a pilot transcultural secondary consultation program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the development of a pilot secondary consultation program by a state-wide transcultural psychiatry unit, Victorian Transcultural Mental Health (VTMH), in partnership with a rural mental health service, Goulburn Valley Area Mental Health Service (GVAMHS), and the responses of the clinicians who participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of eight consultations were facilitated by the VTMH in 2010 and attended by a total of 57 GVAMHS clinicians; five sessions were conducted face-to-face and three by videoconference. Facilitators recorded the details of discussions at each session. Participants and facilitators offered feedback that was analysed to improve the quality of cultural responsiveness at GVAMHS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants from a range of disciplines provided consistently positive feedback. The sessions provided an effective forum for discussing cultural formulations and culturally sensitive approaches to working with individuals and their families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot secondary consultation program provided clinicians in a rural area with a forum in which to reflect on cross-cultural mental health issues. This pilot has informed the development of subsequent VTMH cultural consultation services.
authors.affiliation: Education and Service Development Consultant, Victorian Transcultural Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDonough
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Bev
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhat
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000523:psychology*; D005008:Ethnopsychology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: cultural responsiveness; mental health services; transcultural mental health