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 […]

Cultural respect strategies in Australian Aboriginal primary health care services: beyond education and training of practitioners

Objective: There is little literature on health-service-level strategies for culturally respectful care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. We conducted two case studies, which involved one Aboriginal community controlled health care service and one state government-managed primary health care service, to examine cultural respect strategies, client experiences and barriers to cultural respect. Methods: Data […]

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 […]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health

Overview Supporting health professionals in improving knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health care to achieve better outcomes. Module 1: Interviewing an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient Engagement and communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a culturally appropriate and safe way. Module 2: Developing a mental health […]

Reframing Aboriginal family caregiving

This chapter describes the experiences of caregiving for Aboriginal families living with a serious mental illness. It highlights the disconnection with mental health providers and their lack of knowledge of Aboriginal concepts of caregiving. Indeed, there is limited knowledge of the complexity of caregiving across the mental health sector. This chapter explores Aboriginal caregiving through […]

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 […]

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 & […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A history of Indigenous psychology

This chapter discusses how the discipline and practice of psychology has been part of the colonising process influencing the mental health of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It outlines events where the discipline of psychology has been supportive of, and responsive to, the Aboriginal mental health movement, heralding the empowerment and inclusion of […]

Shifting gears in careers: Identifying drivers of career development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers in the health sector

This paper explores how the Australian health sector might improve opportunities for career development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers. It considers the current evidence surrounding career development in the health sector, along with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander worker experiences, to develop a usable conceptual framework for change.

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 […]

Attraction, recruitment and distribution of health professionals in rural and remote Australia: early results of the Rural Health Professionals Program

Abstract Background: Australians living in rural and remote communities experience relatively poor health status in comparison to the wider Australian population (Med J Aust 185:37-38, 2006). This can be attributed in part to issues of access to health services arising from difficulties in recruiting and retaining health professionals in these areas. The Rural Health Professionals […]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (the Framework) has been developed to address the variability amongst all health professions and higher education providers in terms of the nature and extent to which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum is being implemented. The aim of the Framework is to provide a model for […]

Promoting Aboriginal health: The family wellbeing empowerment approach

This book highlights the health gap that exists between Indigenous and other Australians and proposes that one solution is to empower Indigenous Australians to take control of their own health and wellbeing. In particular, the book describes an Aboriginal family wellbeing model of empowerment which has been used successfully in programs across Australia. The book […]

A Resource for Collective Healing for Members of the Stolen Generations: Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Effective Local Responses

The purpose of the resource is to: Strengthen and build upon the work already being done in the community by Stolen Generations members, organisations and groups to provide collective healing responses. Encourage the inclusion of collective healing responses in services provided to the Stolen Generations, including support groups, group therapy programs, day trips on country, […]

Negotiating worldviews: Indigenous place in academic space

This chapter describes and critiques, from the perspective of an Indigenous global scholar, the development and delivery of a series of degree courses of study designed to respond to the historical, social and cultural trauma consequent to colonial worldviews interfacing with Aboriginal Australian Peoples and the expressed need for healing – not a word commonly […]

The Marumali Program: healing for Stolen Generations

There are an estimated 10,625 people who directly experienced the trauma generated by forcible removal, an estimated 25,844 children (second generation) who have been living with parents affected by forcible removal, and an estimated 40,612 grandchildren who continue to experience the effects of their grandparents’ removal.1 Two models developed by Aboriginal people have been evaluated […]

Trauma-informed services and trauma-specific care for Indigenous Australian children

This report provides comprehensive information on trauma in Indigenous Australian children. It examines the effects of trauma while also providing an overview of recent government initiatives implemented to address the negative consequences of trauma exposure in childhood and adulthood. The report also describes the delivery of trauma-informed services and trauma-specific care. Complementing the information in […]