Treating the Whole Family: What the Evidence Says About Family-Inclusive Care in Mental Health and AOD
Description
Mental health and alcohol or other drug (AOD) challenges often happen together. When they do, families often hold things together, absorb stress, and navigate services not equipped for the complexity of these co-occurring issues.
Join the Bouverie Centre and Victorian Drug and Alcohol Association (VAADA) for a webinar unpacking findings from a new systematic review published in Clinical Psychology Review, examining the evidence for family-inclusive approaches in dual diagnosis treatment.
Drawing on 28 studies spanning 25 years of research, across both adolescent and adult populations, this session explores what happens when families are brought into treatment, not just for the individual with the dual diagnosis, but for the wellbeing of the family system as a whole. We will look at what the evidence shows for mental health symptoms, substance use outcomes, and family functioning, communication, and conflict, and what it means for mental health and AOD workforces designing the next generation of care.
Topics Covered
The evidence base for family-inclusive approaches in dual diagnosis treatment: what has been studied, across which populations, and how robust the evidence is
What changes when families are included: impacts on mental health symptoms, substance use, and relational outcomes like family functioning, communication, cohesion, and (for adolescents) parenting skills
Age matters: adolescents vs. adults; how family-inclusive practice looks different depending on who's in treatment, and why that distinction matters for service design.
Practice implications and where the field goes next: service delivery considerations (in-person vs. telehealth, session intensity), evidence gaps, and priorities for future research.
Research publications and shared knowledge
Kuntsche, S., Vuong, A., Cloud, Z., Cosgrove, M., Pradel, M., Hameed, M., & McIntosh, J. E. (2026). Family-inclusive approaches in the context of a dual diagnosis: A systematic review of relational and individual wellbeing outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 128, 102762.
Who is this webinar relevant to
· Mental health practitioners
· Alcohol and other drug (AOD) clinicians
· Family therapists
· Social workers
· Psychologists
· Counsellors
· Psychiatric nurses
· Researchers and academics
· Health service managers
· Policy makers and funders
· Students undertaking mental health, social work, psychology, counselling, or family therapy studies
Presenters
Associate Professor Sandra Kuntshe
Head of Research Services – The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University Sandra Kuntsche joined the Bouverie Centre in September 2023 as Associate Professor of Family Therapy and Systemic Research. She leads the Centre's young and productive research team, whose work is deeply embedded across all service areas of the Bouverie Centre. The Centre's research is systemic and practice-driven, generating knowledge that strengthens relationships, informs policy, and creates lasting change through collaboration, co-design, and real-world relevance. Trained in Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Jena, Germany, Sandra obtained her PhD in Health Sciences from Maastricht University in the Netherlands in 2011. She has more than 25 years of experience in quantitative alcohol and drug research and is recognised as one of the world's leading researchers on the impact of social roles on alcohol use. Her research has focused on the influence of gender, societal factors such as gender equity, and cultural differences on the interplay between family and work roles and alcohol use. Throughout her career, she has developed and evaluated numerous health promotion and prevention programs, most recently for middle-aged women in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
Gillian Clark
AOD Strategy and Reform Manager - Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) Gillian oversees Government reform activity that impacts the AOD sector in Victoria and develops a strategic response to AOD-related activity. VAADA’s present reform focus includes mental health reform, family violence reform and Aboriginal Health Reform as part of the Yoorrook Truth Telling Commission. The AOD strategy function aims to ensure that VAADA can lead strategic planning to ensure a robust, high quality and responsive treatment and harm reduction system within Victoria into the future. Gillian has a vast range of experience in clinical service delivery, workforce capacity building, policy and change management within the Victorian AOD and Mental Health sectors over 24 years. Her foundations in social work and a specialisation in Addictive Behaviours lead her professional practice and her passion for ensuring that all individuals who are impacted by substance use are accepted and supported.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
Register
Register
More events from this host
