There is ample research documenting the fact that people from ethnic and linguistic minorities are likely to experience racism and discrimination in healthcare services in Ireland and that people from minority groups are less likely to access, remain engaged with, or complete treatment in, needed services such as mental health programmes. Given the reliance by many migrant communities on homeless services and the increased vulnerability of many migrant groups to drug and alcohol use, it is vital that those with service provision responsibilities proactively seek ways to create services that are inclusive of people from ethnic and linguistically diverse communities. 

This guide was developed for drug, alcohol, and homeless services; to support them in their endeavours to provide culturally competent, inclusive services for people from ethnically and linguistically diverse populations. The work was commissioned by Community Response with support from the South Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force, and developed through desktop research by Quality Matters. This guidance contains a summary of standards and good practice for inclusion of ethnically and linguistically diverse communities drawn from:

• Irish standards including those for healthcare services, intercultural health, homeless services and alcohol and drugs services
• International standards for alcohol and drugs services and/or homeless services
• International literature/good practice 

The standards and literature are presented in relation to core service pillars, namely:

• Governance and leadership
• Staff training and support
• Service provision
• Service planning and evaluation

In addition to best practice, each area has a section on practical ideas and resources to help services implement the guidance.