Aboriginal Health Awards 2008 Winners

Excellence in Program and Service Delivery

Excellence in Program and Service Delivery

This award recognises excellence in the delivery of health programs and services for Aboriginal people.

Winner: Malabar Community Midwifery Link Service - The Royal Hospital for Women

South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service

This new and innovative community based service offers a primary health care model of midwifery to families in the Malabar community. The service prioritises Aboriginal women who give birth at the Royal hospital for Women. The program aims to address inequities in health outcomes and promotes a holistic approach by providing safe collaborative, accessible and culturally appropriate care by offering a midwifery and child and family health service. The midwives and the Aboriginal Health Workers work in a "continuity of care" model seamlessly across both community and hospital settings. The midwives involve the child and family health nurse in the antenatal period thus facilitating continuity, early intervention and ongoing support in the post natal period. The service was designed to build on the significant progress already made through the NSW Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Strategy. The program demonstrates strong partnerships across the government and non-government sectors as well as strong Aboriginal community engagement.

Runner up: Good for Kids. Good for Life. Equity - Focussed Health Impact Assessment

Hunter New England Area Health Service

Good for Kids is Australia’s largest ever population-based childhood obesity prevention trial. It brings together a variety of agencies, community groups and industry to provide practical information, as well as new programs and systems, to make it easier for children to be active and eat well. Good for Kids program undertook an equity-focused Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in order to improve the equity with which the program was delivered to Aboriginal  and non-Aboriginal children and ensure that its implementation did not exacerbate existing inequalities. The HIA produced over 80 recommendations. These recommendations were made to ensure Good for Kids strategies did not directly or indirectly exclude Aboriginal children and communities by failing to acknowledge and plan for differences in how health eating and physical activity is understood and approached in Aboriginal communities.

Innovation in Aboriginal Health

Innovation in Aboriginal Health

This award recognises innovative programs that are designed to respond to Aboriginal population health needs and encapsulate new research findings.

Winner: Pressing Problems - Gambling Research Project

Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW

The AH&MRC identified gambling in Aboriginal communities as a major public health issue that required attention. The goal of the research project was to explore the issue of gambling in a NSW Aboriginal context, to identify and characterise existing responses and to inform the development of future directions and ways forward to prevent and alleviate gambling related problems and harms for Aboriginal people in NSW. To ensure the project findings were accessible to Aboriginal communities a community report was prepared and is currently being distributed. In addition these findings are being presented to communities through a series of strategies including the facilitation of local information sessions focussed on raising awareness, local interventions and the building of local partnerships to address gambling issues.

Runner up: Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood Borne Viruses in Aboriginal Communities in NSW: Survey of Knowledge, Risk Practice and Access to Service

Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW

This research project aims to determine young Aboriginal people's levels of knowledge, risk practice and access to health services in relation to sexually transmitted infections and blood borne viruses. The project surveys young people aged 16-30 years who attend key cultural festivals annually. The survey incorporated a research capacity building whereby the Aboriginal Sexual Health Workers who conduct the surveys were provided with training in all aspects of research projects including methodology analysis, report writing and publication. To date 293 surveys have been collected mostly by using hand held Personal Digital Assistance devices with nothing but positive feedback received at the sites. This project will contribute significantly in shaping future sexual health programs for the NSW Department of Health and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

Strengthening Aboriginal Families and Children

Strengthening Aboriginal Families and Children

This award recognises the focus on strengthening Aboriginal families and community's access to essential primary health and continuing care services so problems can be addressed early and effectively.

Winner: The Kari Clinic

KARI Aboriginal Resources Incorporated, Sydney South West Area Health Service and the Department of Community Services NSW

The Kari Clinic is an exciting and innovative service for the betterment of Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care. The KARI Clinic aims to: document the developmental and health needs of Aboriginal children and youth in out-of-home care in South West Sydney; match the health needs of children with available services; identify barriers to appropriate care and; improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal children and youth entering out-of-home care. This dedicated community based facility dealing with needs of Aboriginal families in a culturally appropriate manner, has had a real and positive impact on their lives and more importantly their futures.

Runner up: Box Ridge Transition to School Program and Goonellabah Transition to School Program

North Coast Area Health Service, the Department of Community Services, the Department of Education and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Aboriginal Affairs.

These transition programs are flexible, holistic early learning programs for children and their families needing intensive support with transitioning from home and the pre-school setting into Kindergarten. They work in partnership and across sectors to provide strengths based family friendly and culturally sensitive programs. Staff work with families to identify health, educational and behavioural factors impacting on the child's ability to learn and interact socially. The program provides a non-threatening environment where families can be introduced to health professionals and services. As one parent said, 'it gives them that little leg up.......changed them from babies to smarty pants'.

Working Together to Make a Difference (individual)

Working Together to Make a Difference (individual)

This award recognises achievements where individuals and agencies have collaboratively worked together with Aboriginal communities to make a difference in addressing local health needs.

Individual winner: Garry Creighton

Tamworth Community Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service.

Garry has made an exceptional contribution to Aboriginal health and to his local community of Tamworth, by being instrumental in, and integral to, the development and maintenance of the Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men's Group in Tamworth. This group was established as a result of negative media coverage generalising Aboriginal people, and Aboriginal men in particular. It has become a highly innovative group which has been recognized nationally for its work. Garry is acknowledged as the 'face' of the group and the driving force behind the group's continued success. He has proven his ability to continually motivate and encourage the members to contribute to the group's activities. Among the successes of the Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men's Group, that is working to re-establish a positive role for men in the Aboriginal community of New England in NSW, is the 'Deadly Not Shame Program', which has been put in place to address issues of mental illness and violence.

Individual runner up: Jacquie Welch

Lismore Youth and Family Mental Health service, North Coast Area Health Service

Jacquie provides a "doorway" for the local Aboriginal community to approach mental health services. She works within the mainstream mental health service and has been able to break down the barriers between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff by providing consultation to both parties. Without Jacquie there would be far more limited access to services for Aboriginal people. She provides introductions for clients to mainstream staff who, because of her, have ready access to culturally appropriate consultation when required. Jacquie has an active role in many community based organisations that contribute to mental health and her community. Jacquie has furthered the cause of reconciliation in her community where she is well respected. She is considered a role model for women, particularly Aboriginal women.

Working Together to Make a Difference (team)

Working Together to Make a Difference (team)

This award recognises achievements where individuals and agencies have collaboratively worked together with Aboriginal communities to make a difference in addressing local health needs.

Team winner: Coinless Condom Machines

Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service Co-operative Ltd

This project has shown great imagination at funding an alternative way to address the important, sensitive and complex issue of providing the means to Aboriginal people to practice safe sex. Coinless Condom Machines provides condoms at no cost to the community and is an appropriate way of ensuring that condoms are accessible. It is the first project of its kind in NSW that is specifically targeted at Aboriginal people. It demonstrates effective collaboration between the public, private sector and the Aboriginal community, an example of how the entire community both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal can work together to produce better health outcomes for Aboriginal people. Intensive promotion of the initiative throughout the community resulted in community support and participation in specific sexual health promotion activities.

Team runner up: AUNTS (Aboriginal United Nurturing Teams)

Hunter New England Area Health Service

Traditionally, AUNTS played a major role in the mothering of children along with providing support and guidance to others. The Tamworth-based AUNTS program was developed to capture traditional roles and values thereby empowering Aboriginal women in the local community to be cultural and accredited AUNTS. The program empowers a group of specially trained women with the knowledge and confidence to impart and inform the community. This in turn influences the thinking and behaviour of families, friends, and community members in addressing local health needs. This program makes a significant contribution to community development and strengthens families through building Aboriginal women's capacity.

Team runner up: Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men's Group in Tamworth

Hunter New England Area Health Service

Yaamanhaa Men's Group which was formed in 2005 is auspiced by the Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service. This group was established as a result of long standing negative media coverage generalising Aboriginal people, and Aboriginal men in particular. Such coverage can and will demoralise the health and self esteem of Aboriginal men. The displacement of Aboriginal men within community is a contributing factor affecting their health and wellbeing. Local Aboriginal men felt a need to re-establish a positive perception of Aboriginal men in the Tamworth Aboriginal community within roles that had credibility to the wider community. Within the Yaamanhaa Men's Group the term 'reconciliation' is of particular significance. Reconciliation describes how, as Aboriginal men, the Group is attempting to regain cultural strength and reconcile with departments and agencies that have been in conflict with them.

Team runner up: The Bila Muuji Aboriginal Regional Health Service

A consortium of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health services and related services within the Greater Western Area Health Service of NSW

Bila Muuji translated, means 'River Friends'. This program is distinguished from all other methods of 'regional networking' by the collective merging of minds and experiences of many members of Aboriginal communities and staff of many services, harnessing talent and diverse abilities 'working together' to regain and maintain the health and well being of Aboriginal people and communities. The model of the Bila Muuji supports individual Aboriginal Medical Services in identifying the health needs of the communities and in the delivery of holistic, culturally appropriate primary health care services. Bila Muuji, grew out of an informal meeting of Chief Executives of the Aboriginal Medical Services in the Upper Sector in 1998. Ten years on the health service looks toward to continued achievement of positive health outcomes for the communities it serves delivering programs which are implemented based on the concept of sharing resources, personnel and professional clinical support.

Team runner up: Good for Kids. Good for Life Equity-Focussed Health Impact Assessment

Hunter New England Area Health Service

'Good for Kids. Good for Life.' (Good for Kids) is Australia's largest ever population-based childhood obesity prevention trial. It brings together a variety of agencies, community groups and industry to provide practical information, as well as new programs and systems, to make it easier for children to be active and eat well. Good for Kids program undertook an equity-focused Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in order to improve the equity with which the program was delivered to Aboriginal children and non-Aboriginal children and ensure that its implementation did not exacerbate existing inequalities. The HIA produced over 80 recommendations. These recommendations were made to ensure Good for Kids strategies did not directly or indirectly exclude Aboriginal children and communities by failing to acknowledge and plan for differences in how health eating and physical activity is understood and approached in Aboriginal communities.

Enterprise and Resourcefulness

Enterprise and Resourcefulness

This award recognises enterprising health programs that have been developed utilising existing resources and are wide reaching, effective and sustainable.

Winner: 'Pit Stop' Men's Health Screening and Referral Program

A joint initiative of Greater Western Area Health Service, Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service, Bourke Aboriginal Health Service and the Outback Division of General Practice.

The program is designed to raise awareness of men's health and to refer men to reliable and well resourced health services. Ideally, the men's health screening will empower men to think about, and look after, their health. The program targets men who would not normally access health services. The analogy of mechanical road worthiness of a vehicle was intended to present men with a humorous entry into engaging with health service providers to raise awareness of lifestyle related risk factors, provide advice and offer referral where necessary. The "Pit Crew" is comprised of a core group of 18 male and 6 female health professionals predominantly from the Aboriginal Medical Services. To date 3 Pit Stop events have been conducted. The first, a pilot in Brewarrina in 2006, the second in Walgett in 2007 and the third was in 2008 at Lightning Ridge.

Runner up: Coalition for Research to Improve Aboriginal Health (CRIAH)

A partnership between The Sax Institute and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW

CRIAH brings together Aboriginal communities and researchers together to improve Aboriginal health in NSW. CRIAH was developed out of a need to facilitate a better relationship between Aboriginal communities and researchers who wanted to conduct research projects within those communities. The coalition aims to develop a program of research which is: Aboriginal community controlled, results in better health outcomes and meets the ethical principles of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. The coalition facilitates research that is relevant to the needs of Aboriginal people and evaluates potential solutions building a strong evidence base about the determinants of health and the impact of programs and services. It involves Aboriginal communities as partners and builds research capacity among Aboriginal people.

Runner up: Bila Mujji Upper Sector Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program

Bourke Aboriginal Health Service

This program demonstrates enterprise and resourcefulness in the delivery of quality holistic Social and Emotional Wellbeing health services to Aboriginal communities. The program was introduced to provide a structured staff supervision model across the region. This model addresses individual and team needs relating to debriefing, critical incident response, professional development and client case-management and partnership links. The Program met all identified objectives in the first 12 months. These included the development of culturally appropriate counselling through consultation with Aboriginal Elders and taking into consideration the social, emotional, economical and environmental issues affecting Aboriginal people. The program is auspiced to the Bourke Aboriginal Health Service and implemented in partnership with existing specialist mental health services of the Greater Western Area Health Service and with Aboriginal Health Services within the upper sector of the Billa Muuji region. The program has demonstrated a massive increase in community members accessing mental health counselling largely due to the continuum of professional support on a regular basis, Aboriginal Health Worker support and most importantly service delivery in a culturally appropriate setting.

Excellence in Workforce

Excellence in Workforce

This award recognises excellence in the delivery of quality health services to Aboriginal communities across NSW.

Phillip Dowse

Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service.

Phillip commenced work with the Walgett AMS as a Transport Officer where he gained the respect of the Walgett community. Moving on to a position within the AMS Clinic enabled him to continue his interaction with the community while improving their health. Phillip completed his Dispensary Assistant course in 2001 and was the first Aboriginal male in Australia to complete this course. For the past seven years Phillip has effectively managed the Dispensary Unit of the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service in a well organised and professional manner and takes great pride in this role. Phillip is described by his colleagues as a role model and a quiet achiever. As
part of his ongoing commitment to continuity of care Phillip continually educates the public about the processes the service has in place regarding the dispensing of medicines and in doing so has increased access to medications by clients of the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service.

Innovation in Chronic Care

Innovation in Chronic Care

This award recognises innovative prevention programs that aim to reduce the level and impact of preventable chronic health conditions and promotes better health for Aboriginal people and communities.

Winner: Using knowledge to safeguard our nations - A collaborative approach to vascular and renal health in Aboriginal communities within the Countries of north-eastern NSW

Hunter New England Area Health

In 2005, a kidney-screening project was initiated to determine the prevalence of risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) within Aboriginal communities living in the Hunter New England Area Health Service boundaries. 709 Aboriginal people were screened during the kidney project. The results demonstrate significant markers for renal and other chronic disease. This study gives a more accurate picture of the prevalence of kidney and chronic disease in Aboriginal people in NSW than previously available and the recommendations from the project are specific and unique to the NSW Aboriginal population. Outcomes from this project have included an increased community awareness of CKD and the importance of early detection and management to induce remission and regression as well as a significant budget enhancement from the NSW Government. Implementation of recommendations from the renal screening will significantly improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people by increasing early recognition of CKD through easier access to healthcare.

Runner up: HEALInG - Healthy Eating Activity Lifestyles for Aboriginal Groups

North Coast Area Health Service.

The HEALInG program aims to improve overall physical and social well being of Aboriginal women of all age groups. This 10 week course is designed to provide realistic and practical information on healthy eating and lifestyle activities for Aboriginal people. The program provides real life tools to support making the healthy choice the easier choice. There are 3 key priority areas: Healthy Activities, Healthy Eating and Healthy Lifestyles. Information is presented in a culturally appropriate manner with lunch, transport and childcare provided. A comprehensive medical check up is conducted on all participants before they are accepted into the program. HEALInG is an interactive program, implemented through community partnerships and community sustained through organisational partnerships. The program targets participant needs and relies on individual community resources to operate making it easily transferable across locations.

The Gail May Award

The Gail May Award

The Gail May Award recognises an Aboriginal Health Worker who has made an exceptional contribution to Aboriginal health and their local community in NSW. The "Gail May Award" is dedicated in the memory of a highly respected Aboriginal woman whose contribution to health and Aboriginal affairs in NSW was outstanding.

Mareese Terare

Mareese is a proud strong Bundjalung woman who has worked in the field of Aboriginal Women's health for over 20 years. She has worked tirelessly on numerous projects and programs within her communities to address the physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing of women and children. She is committed, passionate and determined to this cause. Mareese has advocated and lobbied endlessly on behalf of Aboriginal communities in relation to access and equity for the safety of women and children affected by family violence.

Director General's Award

Director General's Award

This award is presented by the Director -General of NSW Health at their discretion in recognition of the most outstanding nominee across all the award categories.

Malabar Community Midwifery Link Service - The Royal Hospital for Women

South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service

This new and innovative community based service offers a primary health care model of midwifery to families in the Malabar community. The service prioritises Aboriginal women who give birth at the Royal hospital for Women. The program aims to address inequities in health outcomes and promotes a holistic approach by providing safe collaborative, accessible and culturally appropriate care by offering a midwifery and child and family health service. The midwives and the Aboriginal Health Workers work in a "continuity of care" model seamlessly across both community and hospital settings. The midwives involve the child and family health nurse in the antenatal period thus facilitating continuity, early intervention and ongoing support in the post natal period. The service was designed to build on the significant progress already made through the NSW Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Strategy. The program demonstrates strong partnerships across the government and non-government sectors as well as strong Aboriginal community engagement.

The Minister's Award for Aboriginal Health

The Minister's Award for Aboriginal Health

The Minister's Award for Aboriginal Health is presented to the NSW Health Area Health Service or organisation that demonstrates the most outstanding commitment to improving Aboriginal health across a range of indices including excellence in program delivery, strengthening access to primary care, improved access to mainstream health services for Aboriginal people and collaborative partnership arrangement with Aboriginal people.

Good for Kids. Good for Life Equity-Focussed Health Impact Assessment

Hunter New England Area Health Service

'Good for Kids. Good for Life.' (Good for Kids) is Australia's largest ever population-based childhood obesity prevention trial. It brings together a variety of agencies, community groups and industry to provide practical information, as well as new programs and systems, to make it easier for children to be active and eat well. Good for Kids program undertook an equity-focused Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in order to improve the equity with which the program was delivered to Aboriginal children and non-Aboriginal children and ensure that its implementation did not exacerbate existing inequalities. The HIA produced over 80 recommendations. These recommendations were made to ensure Good for Kids strategies did not directly or indirectly exclude Aboriginal children and communities by failing to acknowledge and plan for differences in how health eating and physical activity is understood and approached in Aboriginal communities.

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

This category acknowledges people who have been exemplary and have consistently demonstrated strong dedication to improving the health outcomes of Aboriginal people by influencing policy direction or service development in Aboriginal Health.

There are two equally outstanding winners of this Award- Pam Greer and Judy Johnson

Pam Greer

Pam Greer is an Aboriginal woman who has worked for over 20 years to provide education and information about domestic and family violence, adult and child sexual assault to Aboriginal communities across Australia. She is a tireless activist and mentor and has consistently prioritised these issues through her work. Pam has been a community worker, trainer and consultant since 1983, working in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales. She has worked with several government departments including the Departments of Community Services, Police, Health and the Family Court on various projects for Aboriginal communities. Back in 1990 Pam was employed to organise a conference on behalf of the NSW Department for Women. An impressive turnout of 400 women attended the conference and since that time Aboriginal communities have felt more and more able to speak about the issues of domestic and family violence and sexual assault. Pam is one of the many Aboriginal women who have led the way.

Pam has consistently worked beyond any formal role she has held to collaborate with academics and community members to communicate the importance of providing safety in Aboriginal communities. She currently delivers the NSW core domestic violence training and adult and child sexual assault training workshops across NSW as a consultant to the Education Centre Against Violence. Pam Greer is a significant force in keeping really difficult, painful and complex health issues on the agendas of both communities and government. With her support more women have spoken out and sought help and more health workers have better understood the issues for Aboriginal communities. We are all the richer for her contributions.

Hall of Fame, Judy Johnson

Judy Johnson

Judy has been inducted to the Hall of Fame to honour her tireless work for the Bourke Aboriginal Health Service (BAHS) and her community. In particular this award recognises her tremendous effort in getting the Bourke Aboriginal Health Service back on its feet and functioning again as a vibrant place the members of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities could come and have their health needs meet.

Judy commenced her long yet fulfilling and very challenging career in Aboriginal Health when she became the Chief Executive Officer of BAHS in 1995. There were many issues going on and staff morale was very low. Yet Judy took on the challenge rebuild and turn things around. Judy was successful on many occasions in securing funding for the Service. Another significant achievement that illustrates Judy's dedication to the cause of improving Aboriginal health outcomes is that under her leadership, Bourke Aboriginal Health Service was the first Aboriginal Health Service to sign off on the Partnership in NSW and the first Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to have a regional partnership with the Division of General Practice.

Judy is a dedicated wife and a mother of four. She is great business woman who cares deeply for those who are less fortunate than herself and is not is not too proud to give to a worthy cause. Judy is a lady who thinks outside the square. She has great tenacity and strength to overcome many hurdles including her personal heath issues and is very deserving of this award.