"You Don't Get That from Professionals": A Consumer-Led Peer Recovery Program for Families and Friends of Individuals with Alcohol and Other Drugs Use Issues in Darwin.

While there has been a reduction in alcohol consumption among Australians aged 18 years and above, about 25% of people still drink above the recommended limit. The use of alcohol and other drugs is a substantial issue in the Northern Territory; however, there have been significant investments in alcohol reforms over the past few years. This paper reports on a pilot study that involved co-designing, implementing, and evaluating the Circles of Support consumer-led recovery and empowerment program for families and friends of individuals with alcohol and other drugs use issues. The evaluation comprised a mixed-methods approach; however, this article only presents the qualitative component (n = 7). Interview data were thematically analysed, and four main themes were identified: (1) the value of a peer-to-peer approach; (2) facing challenges and distress; (3) adopting self-care strategies; and (4) the development of valuable skills. Participants enjoyed the program content and learning. This involved self-care and communication strategies, boundary setting, service navigation, the concept of post-traumatic growth, the circles of control, and the stages of change model for families. Our findings strongly support the scaling up of the program in Darwin and other locations across the Northern Territory and future program adaptation for different vulnerable target audiences.

'Like a family in the end': Improving mental health Recovery skills through Peer-to-Peer communication in Darwin, Australia.

The existing psychosocial Support activities in the Northern Territory, Australia, are mostly delivered through individualised outreach and client-centred Support programs and do not currently have a strong Peer focus. To address this gap, a Peer-Led Education Pilot was developed and implemented in Darwin, Australia. The pilot was comprised of three separate but overarching stages, and each stage was independently evaluated. In this article, results from Stage 1 will be presented, with a specific focus on the role of Peer-to-Peer communication in improving participants' mental health and Recovery skills. This stage involved the delivery of the My Recovery program to self-nominated participants, and the evaluation was aimed at reporting on the appropriateness and effectiveness of the program. The evaluation was qualitative in design involving individual pre- and post-program interviews with program participants (npre  = 14, npost  = 16) between August and October 2019. The program was well received by participants and helped build their capacity to understand and self-manage their mental health and/or alcohol and other drug issues in an inclusive, non-clinical, non-judgemental space. The results highlighted the importance of including a strong Peer focus in the existing psychosocial Support services available for people with mental health issues in Darwin. The findings also underscored the inclusion of those with lived experience of mental health challenges in the design and delivery of such programs.

Drink and drug driving education in the Northern Territory: a qualitative study illustrating issues of access and inequity.

OBJECTIVE: In the Northern Territory, people who commit drink driving offences are required to undertake an approved course or treatment to be eligible for a driver's licence, however, course uptake is low. We investigated barriers to program uptake. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 program attendees, course providers and government stakeholders. We used a framework analysis. RESULTS: Program coverage in remote areas was limited, leading to inequitable access. The course cost affected uptake and exacerbated existing financial hardship. There were mixed views among government stakeholders on the program. While some held a view that offenders should 'pay the price', some also saw the user-pays model and high program cost as a clear barrier to accessibility. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this study demonstrate how the current delivery model for drink and drug driving education increases inequities for those in regional and remote areas, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Moving away from the current user-pays model to a subsidised or free model may facilitate greater access. Online delivery may increase accessibility; however, consultation is required to ensure the program is delivered equitably with consideration of language, literacy, cultural factors and access to technology.

A scoping review about social and emotional wellbeing programs and services targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Australia: understanding the principles guiding promising practice.

BACKGROUND: Multiple culturally-oriented programs, services, and frameworks have emerged in recent decades to support the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) people in Australia. Although there are some common elements, principles, and methods, few attempts have been made to integrate them into a set of guidelines for policy and practice settings. This review aims to identify key practices adopted by programs and services that align with the principles of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017-2023. METHODS: A comprehensive review of electronic databases and organisational websites was conducted to retrieve studies of relevance. Twenty-seven publications were included in the review. Next, we identified promising practices through a collaborative review process. We then used the principles articulated in the above-mentioned framework as the basis to complete a framework analysis. This enabled us to explore the alignment between current scholarship about SEWB programs and services with respect to the principles of the framework. RESULTS: We found there was a strong alignment, with selected principles being effectively incorporated into most SEWB program and service delivery contexts. However, only one study incorporated all nine principles, using them as conceptual framework. Additionally, 'capacity building', 'individual skill development', and 'development of maladaptive coping mechanisms' were identified as common factors in SEWB program planning and delivery for Aboriginal people. CONCLUSION: We argue the selective application of nationally agreed principles in SEWB programs and services, alongside a paucity of scholarship relating to promising practices in young people-oriented SEWB programs and services, are two areas that need the urgent attention of commissioners and service providers tasked with funding, planning, and implementing SEWB programs and services for Aboriginal people. Embedding robust participatory action research and evaluation approaches into the design of such services and programs will help to build the necessary evidence-base to achieve improved SEWB health outcomes among Aboriginal people, particularly young people with severe and complex mental health needs.