MAITRI is a new independent specialist mental health service for immigrants and refugees. It was established in Western Australia by the Multicultural Service Centre of WA Inc (MSC).  The name MAITRI is a Hindi word meaning friendship or good-will.

MAITRI seeks to meet the mental health needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds by adopting cultural factors in the management of the condition.

Cultural and linguistic differences can exacerbate existing or developing mental health problems, such as age related mental health conditions and depression which has a significant impact on the health and well-being of individuals and that of their carers and families.

The service can also respond to the specific needs of Western Australia’s refugee and humanitarian entrants who have experienced torture and trauma. Access to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services is vital for their successful settlement.

The service is provided by mental health professionals including psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and nurses in the client’s preferred language, or with the assistance of interpreters.

• Access to mental health clinicians from client’s cultural and linguistic background. A shared care approach will be initiated between the clinician and the case manager at MAITRI. The client will be assisted in accessing a range of services to ensure a holistic approach to treatment.
• Individual or group therapy for adults. Clients will receive individual therapy in the first instance. Where appropriate, ethno-specific or group therapy may be offered with the assistance of an interpreter.
• Relationship/family counselling. Family relationship advisors from the Perth Family Relationship Centre will provide information, referral and advice to families experiencing relationship difficulties and assistance for separated families to work through their parenting issues without court involvement.
• Children and adolescents. Services are provided for children and adolescents from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Where appropriate, non-directive play therapy is also offered to young children. MAITRI will work in partnership with appropriate government Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Schools and the Department of Child Protection, where necessary, to ensure the best culturally-appropriate outcome for the client.

• Psychoeducation seminars
  MAITRI will convene regular mental health seminars on a range of mental health issues to facilitate a better understanding of mental health and its impact on daily life. The seminars will be convened for:
  • Consumers and/or clients from CaLD backgrounds;
  • CaLD Carers of people with a mental illness;
  • CaLD parents who are experiencing inter-generational issues as a result of resettlement
• Cultural diversity in mental health training for service providers
  This training will be delivered by CaLD clinicians and workers with wide expertise in the CaLD mental health area. It is for service providers in both government and non-government sectors with clients from a CaLD background with a mental health problem.
  
  The training will explore how to better engage with a CaLD client, how to identify the cultural issues that are likely to emerge in the clinical consultation and how these might impact on assessment, treatment and management. Participants will come away with enhanced skills and increased confidence and competency to work cross-culturally in a mental health setting.  Training will be customised to suit the needs of the service provider.

 MAITRI Brochure (360KB) Multicultural Service Centre of WA Inc (MSC), 2008.
 A brochure for consumers, describing the MAITRI services and contact details.

MAITRI Mental Health Service
64 Wellington Road, Morley WA 6062
Tel: (08) 9375 2224
Fax: (08) 9376 1141

20 View Street, North Perth WA 6006
Tel: (08) 9328 2699
Fax: (08) 9227 7638

13/64-66 Kent Street, Cannington WA 6107
Tel: (08) 9258 5188
Fax: (08) 9258 5388