Delivered by Clarisse Slater, a Yorta Yorta, Kamilaroi, and Wiradjuri professional with 20 years of experience in the Aboriginal service sector, this training will support participants to strengthen their knowledge of wellbeing from an Aboriginal perspective and build their confidence to deliver culturally safe care.

Substance use and other mental health disorders are two of the leading contributors to health disparities among Aboriginal Peoples in Australia.

Research illustrates the disproportionate rates of mental health conditions for Aboriginal Peoples when compared to the general Australian population.

The impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, racism, and discrimination contribute to Aboriginal Peoples feeling high levels of mistrust, fear, and disengagement from health services.

Integrated approaches that make Aboriginal Peoples feel culturally safe and respected while also helping with their mental health and addiction issues lead to better health outcomes and more participation.

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This workshop is funded by the Victorian Department of Health and is exclusively available to Victorian AOD and mental health workers. If you’re not from this group, unfortunately, we’ll need to cancel your registration. We appreciate your understanding!

• Date: Thursday, 21 May 2026
• Time: 9am – 3pm
• Online event
• Cost: Free

Participants will receive a certificate of attendance and will be asked to complete a survey to help us improve future events.

Places are limited, so early registration will secure your spot. For further information, please contact us at education@hamiltoncentre.org.au.

Learning objectives

• Strengthen foundational awareness of historical and systemic factors affecting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal People in Victoria.
• Explore common barriers that Aboriginal Peoples face when accessing care.
• Understand what Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) means and how this differs from Western biomedical models of care.
• Recognise key principles of culturally safe practice when working with Aboriginal Peoples.

Presenters

Clarisse Slater Consulting

Clarisse Slater is a Yorta Yorta, Kamilaroi, and Wiradjuri professional from Melbourne. She has over 20 years of experience in the Aboriginal service sector in learning and development across health and community services. She has worked at organisations including The Bouverie Centre, Beyond Blue, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and Dame Phyllis Frost Correction Centre.

As an Aboriginal Family Therapist, Clarisse empowers individuals and communities through a trauma-informed and culturally safe lens. Clarisse currently works at the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) as the Senior Program Manager for External Training and Relationships.

Clarisse also lectures at The Bouverie Centre and La Trobe University in the Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy: First Nations. In 2019, she founded Clarisse Slater Consulting to help organisations provide culturally safe, respectful, and effective services for Aboriginal communities. Through training, advisory, and reflective practices, she helps teams build confidence in professional judgement and embed culturally responsive practices across complex service systems.

Clarisse is known for creating safe, engaging and therapeutic learning spaces where participants feel supported to reflect, build confidence and strengthen their practice. Her work focuses on mental health, trauma-informed care and culturally safe practice.

About us

Hamilton Centre is a statewide centre for mental health and addiction in Victoria, Australia. It works towards integrated care for people with co-occurring substance use or addiction and mental illness through an innovative program of clinical, research, and education & training streams.Working with key stakeholders, including people with lived and living experience, the centre helps build the capability of healthcare workers within Area and Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, as well as alcohol and other drug services, to deliver integrated care.