The Elders Report into preventing Indigenous self-harm and youth suicide
Interview excerpts of Elders featured in the Report. The Culture Is Life campaign aims to give a platform for Indigenous Elders and community leaders to influence public awareness, policy-making and service provision around Indigenous suicide prevention. One of the initial actions of the Culture Is Life campaign was the development of the’Elders Report on Preventing […]
The evolving policy context in mental health and wellbeing
This chapter outlines the role of policy in setting directions for, and achieving change in, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). Key national policies, frameworks and reports addressing mental health and SEWB up until mid 2013 are presented. Historical milestones surrounding key policies together with their effects on […]
Interdisciplinary care to enhance mental health and social and emotional wellbeing
This chapter discusses and defines the difference between multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary/interprofessional care with a focus on interdisciplinary care as a model of practice which supports equality and interconnectedness of responsibility amongst team members when working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts. The chapter describes the various professional and para professional practitioners that comprise interdisciplinary […]
A model for large-scale, interprofessional, compulsory cross-cultural education with an Indigenous focus
Cultural competency training for health professionals is now a recognised strategy to address health disparities between minority and white populations in Western nations. In Australia, urgent action is required to “Close the Gap” between the health outcomes of Indigenous Australians and the dominant European population, and significantly, cultural competency development for health professionals has been […]
Cultural competence: transforming policy, services, programs and practice
This chapter discusses some of the complex issues surrounding the notion of cultural competence—and the critical need for practitioners to develop knowledge, skills, understandings and attributes to be responsive in diverse cultural settings. The argument for culturally competent mental health practitioners and services is situated within a human rights framework which underpins the principles, standards […]
The Djurruwang Program: Cultural affirmation for effective mental health
This chapter outlines the growth and development of the Djirruwang Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Worker Education and Training Program (The Djirruwang Program) in Australia. The chapter describes what can be achieved when individuals, organisations, health disciplines and Aboriginal communities work in close partnership and learn from each other. We emphasise the importance […]
Communicating and engaging with diverse communities
This chapter focuses on the skills and understanding required for communicating and engaging effectively with Aboriginal people in diverse contexts, with particular attention to the urban setting. We briefly discuss concepts of community and culture, such as kinship affiliations, community obligations and values of Aboriginal people. The work of the late psychiatrist, Mark Sheldon, has […]
Religiosity, spirituality, mental health,and mental health treatment outcomes in Australia: a systematic literature review
The relationship between religiosity and mental health is a relatively well-researched field within North America, covering numerous domains of religiosity, including: religion, spirituality, prayer, church attendance, church affiliation and belief in God or a higher power. Considering the Australian literature, there are few papers that explore these dimensions of religiosity and their relationship with health, […]
Strong Spirit Strong Mind Model – Informing Policy and Practice
This chapter explores the Strong Spirit Strong Mind model specifically in terms of its application for practitioners and policy makers, and those seeking to use a highly regarded, culturally appropriate and holistic way of working with Aboriginal clients to deal with emotional, spiritual and social problems. Strong Spirit Strong Mind articulates the importance of strengthening […]
Intellectual disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; family
The aim of this chapter is to examine current and emerging themes in respect to intellectual disability to assist clinicians and their patients. Recent literature points to an increased rate of intellectual disability across the lifespan, from childhood, adulthood and old age, in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with a number of factors that […]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing
This chapter examines understandings of social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) with the aim of clarifying the relationship between SEWB, mental health and mental health disorders from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ perspective. The chapter begins with a brief historical overview of how the term ‘social and emotional wellbeing’ emerged as a signifier of Aboriginal […]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health: an overview
This chapter initially examines the concepts of physical and mental health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as they were understood and practiced over the vast majority of the last 40,000 years or so. The devastating consequences of the European colonisation of Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are described. […]
Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practices.
The Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice had its origins in the Australian Government’s commitment to improve mental health services nationally. The book was a key strategy to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific initiatives of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) mental health reform over five […]
(De)colonizing Culture in Community Psychology: Reflections from Critical Social Science
Since its inception, community psychology has been interested in cultural matters relating to issues of diversity and marginalization. However, the field has tended to understand culture as a static social marker or as the background for understanding group differences. In this chapter, the authors contend that culture is inseparable from who we are and what […]
Aboriginal health promotion through addressing employment discrimination
The Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) program aimed to improve the mental health of Aboriginal Victorians by addressing racial discrimination and facilitating social and economic participation. As part of LEAD, Whittlesea Council adopted the Aboriginal Employment Pathways Strategy (AEPS) to increase Aboriginal employment and retention within the organisation. The Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training Program […]
Harmful Substance Use and Mental Health
In this chapter, we briefly examine harmful substance use and mental health among Aboriginal Australians. We explore a range of issues including current substance use and related harms, social and emotional wellbeing and comorbidity, and the social determinants of mental health and harmful substance use. We examine the range of services that have been developed […]
Understanding the lives of Aboriginal children and families
Two case studies representing the lives of young people in an urban and rural context, respectively, are presented in this chapter with the intention of engaging the reader in the life course of young people in Aboriginal families affected by loss, grief and other traumatic life episodes. The resilience of these young people is highlighted, […]
Ngara…Deep Listening…Seeing ‘two ways’: What can Indigenous knowledge, mindfulness and observational skills training
The third Slice of LIME seminar was hosted by Flinders University SA on 12 September 2014. Presenters for this third Seminar include Uncle Lewis Yerloburka O’Brien (Kaurna Elder), Aunty Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, Prof. L.C. Chan, Dr Heather Gaunt. Rapporteur for the session was Prof Lambert Schuwirht and it was facilitated by Prof. Dennis McDermott.
The third conversation: has anything changed?
The Roundtable brought together Aboriginal community leaders and experts in Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention along with experts, scholars and policy makers to engage in a third conservation about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and suicide prevention with Emeritus Professor Michael Chandler from the University of British Columbia. The Roundtable style enabled […]
Addressing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Aboriginal communities
This chapter begins with a description of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and examples of reported prevalence of FASD in the international context. It then draws on international and Australian studies to describe the burden of FASD, including studies relevant to the Aboriginal population. The section on the Australian context provides a description of some […]
Having the Hard Conversations
The second Slice of LIME Seminar was presented by Professor Dennis McDermott & Mr Dave Sjoberg from the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Well-Being at Flinders University South Australia, on 12th August 2014. It focused on cultural safety in health professions, & explored pedagogical methods for addressing issues such as racism, white privilege & […]
Principles of practice in mental health assessment with Aboriginal Australians
In this chapter, concepts and history of assessment and testing in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing and mental health are discussed. Importantly, recently revised diagnostic guidelines and the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce 20131 and their appropriateness for meeting the distinctive needs of Aboriginal people […]
Inclusive language guide: Guide to using inclusive language
Flinders University is committed to providing a work and study environment that recognises and values the cultural diversity of its community. The use of inclusive language is an important part of creating that environment. Used constructively, language can reflect social and cultural diversity in a positive and accurate way rather than perpetuating negative stereotypes about […]
Making Tracks: A Trauma-Informed Framework for Supporting Aboriginal Young People Leaving Care
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people leaving out-of-home care are even more likely to experience poor outcomes and with more serious consequences This framework is a trauma and attachment-informed approach embedded in a cultural, ecological and developmental perspective. It aims to help workers recognise and make sense of many of the young people’s behaviours, […]
Key Messages – Making Tracks: Trauma-Informed Practice Guide for Aboriginal Young People Leaving Care
This practice guide highlights key messages arising from the development of a trauma and attachment-informed framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people leaving care. The more detailed framework is described in the Making Tracks: A trauma-informed framework for supporting Aboriginal young people leaving care (Jackson, Waters, Meehan, Hunter & Corlett, 2013). This practice […]