Centre for Mental Health
Better care - Aboriginal mental health
Framework Agreements for Provision of Health Care
Recent framework agreements at Commonwealth, State and local levels govern the provision of health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including those relating to social and emotional wellbeing and mental health. These agreements represent a significant improvement in the delivery of services to Aboriginal people and aim to ensure that their expertise is central to health care planning and service delivery processes.
The NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Health Agreement (1996) established an intersectoral forum that aims to facilitate statewide planning processes. The NSW Health Partners in Health initiative that encompasses these processes was renewed in May 2001 and ensures that the principles of self-determination, a partnership approach, and inter-sectoral collaboration underlie formal partnership agreements.
Across the NSW, Area Health Services have either signed or are in the process of formalising partnership agreements with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), which also govern the provision of mental health services.
Mental Health Policy and Statewide Intiatives
NSW Aboriginal Mental Health Policy
The 1997 NSW Aboriginal Mental Health Policy (currently under review) helped establish the principles of self-determination and partnership for the provision of culturally-sensitive mental health care. With many local partnership agreements now in place, the Area Health Services and the ACCHSs are increasing their collaborative work. Aboriginal Mental Health Workers from Area Health Services are now routinely involved in introducing Aboriginal people to mainstream services with appropriate involvement of families and ACCHSs to provide holistic assessment, intervention, treatment and advocacy.
Under the 1997 Aboriginal Mental Health Policy, funding has been released over two years non-recurrent for 10 Aboriginal Mental Health Worker positions located in nine ACCHSs. A key aspect of the Aboriginal Mental Health Project at the Centre for Mental Health has been to develop and implement processes to enhance networking and support between these 10 workers located in ACCHSs and the Aboriginal Mental Health workforce located in Area Health Services.
Aboriginal Mental Health Worker Forum
The inaugural Aboriginal Mental Health Worker Forum was held in Sydney on 13 and 14 May 2002 and was organised by the Centre for Mental Health and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council. It provided an opportunity for key stakeholders and Aboriginal mental health workers in Area Health Services and ACCHSs to further develop supportive networks and collaborative partnerships, and to gain the workers' input into the identification of service needs and the practical issues that impact on service delivery for the policy review.
Review of the 1997 Aboriginal Mental Health Policy
The Centre for Mental Health, in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council, agreed to enter a review process of the Policy in June 2001. Emerging themes in relation to the review include:
- further development of mental health partnerships
- primary care issues
- service pathways and collaboration between Area Health Services and ACCHS
- enhanced prevention focus on issues concerning children
- young people and families
- social capacity building
- social and emotional wellbeing workers education and training
- health information and indicators
- funding and collaboration
- further development of a population-based approach to delivery of social and emotional wellbeing and mental health services.
Proceedings of 1999 Aboriginal Mental Health Conference
The preparation of Aboriginal Mental Health resources from the 1999 Aboriginal Mental Health Conference, hosted by the Centre for Mental Health and the Aboriginal Health and medical Research Council, is finalised. The resources consist of a booklet of proceedings and three edited videos of key sessions covering trauma, grief and loss, policy issues, and an overview of the ways forward for Aboriginal mental health. Contact the Better Health Centre for the resources.
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