Indigenous Psychological Services

Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency Training Programs in E-Learning **available in August, 2011

IPS will expand its capacity to increase access to the high level of demand for its Aboriginal mental health training and Aboriginal mental health cultural competency intervention programs via the launch of these programs in e-learning in August, 2011. IPS' Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency e-learning programs are unique in Australia for three primary reasons. First, IPS' programs come from a rigorous evidence base of development and validation via the PhD research of Dr Westerman as well as the delivery and evaluation of these programs to over 9,000 individuals across every state of Australia. Second, IPS has developed the only culturally and scientifically validated measure of Aboriginal mental health cultural  competencies in Australia in the Aboriginal mental health cultural competency test (CCT: Westerman, 2003). The CCT enables a determination of 'baseline' or starting point competencies from which IPS is then able to recommend specific e-learning modules which provide the strongest likelihood of improving cultural competencies. Finally, IPS is able to demonstrate the effectiveness of their e-learning and training programs by clients being re-tested with the CCT at the conclusion of their recommended e-learning program. IPS has the only known evidence base and track record of success in the ability to improve Aboriginal mental health cultural competencies attributable to their unique Aboriginal mental health training programs. View the results of IPS' highly successful Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency Intervention Programs here.  

Broadly e-learning will involve the following steps:   

1. Aboriginal mental health cultural competency testing. Clients will complete a baseline test of Aboriginal mental health cultural competency on-line
2. Feedback report. Upon completion of the CCT, clients are provided with a feedback report detailing levels of cultural competencies across the FIVE domains of cultural competency. As the CCT has been normed Australia wide, clients are also provided with feedback regarding the 'average' cultural competency across each domain and where they are relative to others working in the Aboriginal mental health field. The CCT feedback report also provides clients with recommended strategies specific to improving cultural competencies and what their performance actually means in practice. IPS in having the ability to measure cultural competence means that clients are able to gauge improvements over time,
3. Selection of relevant e-learning modules. Based upon the outcomes of the CCT pre-testing, IPS is then able to offer clients the opportunity to improve their cultural competencies via on-line access to the entire suite of ELEVEN distinct Aboriginal mental health e-learning modules. The e-learning brochure provides details on the training programs that will be available in e-learning including learning outcomes of each module,
4. Once the modules are selected clients are able to purchase e-learning for a set number of staff to undertake the e-learning program annually,
5. Assessment of competencies/client outcomes. In addition to the CCT testing, IPS also provides an additional option of on-line assessment which occurs at the conclusion of each individual module. This ensures that cultural competencies are monitored and testing throughout the e-learning experience to enable clients to better appreciate and understand cultural competency over time. This is referred to as the “On-Line assessment option” (see next point)
   1. On-line assessment option. Participants will be required to pass a series of questions that assess their competencies pertaining to each module they undertake. This is in addition to clients completing the Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency Test (CCT) prior to their e-learning experience as well as at the conclusion,
   2. Completion only option: Organisations are also able to opt to have their staff simply work through the modules without on-line assessment,
6. Feedback to organisations: This can come in two forms depending upon the assessment option selected by organisations in Step 3 (above):
   1. On-line assessment option. Organisations receive reports detailing the number of staff who have completed e-learning, and completion outcome data in NON-IDENTIFYING form. Additionally, IPS is able to provide reports to organisations which provide detailed analysis of improvements in cultural competencies attributable to the e-learning undertaken based upon the results of the CCT at the commencement and then conclusion of their e-learning training experience. This will also be provided in non-identifying form and will have a minimum number of 35 participants required to ensure the confidentiality of client CCT outcomes,
   2. Completion only option: For those who complete each module a certificate of completion is provided.

View the IPS Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency E-Learning Brochure here  

To register your interest in e-learning contact IPS

We look forward to discussing your e-learning needs with you!