1.Western Australia : South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS)
2.Victoria: Budja Budja Medical Clinic
3. South Australia : Nunkuwarrin Yunti
4. NSW : Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS)
5.Queensland : Apunipima Cape York Health Council
6. Northern Territory : AMSANT
Picture above : The NACCHO App contains a geo locator, which will help you find the nearest Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (302 Clinics ) in your area and
Provides heath information online and telephone on a wide range of topics and where you can go to get more information or assistance should you need urgent help
1.Western Australia : South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS)
Photo : South West Aboriginal Medical Service mental health services have increased with newly appointed mental health coordinator Jacqui Davis and mental health indigenous outreach worker Darin Turvey with long-time social worker Joyce Dimer.
Mental health services in the South West have been boosted with the South West Aboriginal Medical service getting money to increase its capacity to help Aboriginal people experiencing mental illness.
Country WA Primary Health Network has funded SWAMS to boost its delivery of mental health services with a new mental health coordinator and mental health Aboriginal outreach worker.
Country WA Health regional manager Dianne Ritson said the new initiative delivered by SWAMS would provide culturally appropriate and safe services to meet the mental health and healing needs of Aboriginal people in the South West.
“We know that coordinating care for people who have complex health issues, including mental health, is critical so that they get the care they need,” Ms Ritson said.
“The additional services delivered by SWAMS will build on their existing programs, promote service integration and support Aboriginal people in navigating mental health programs including suicide prevention and stolen generation counselling.”
SWAMS’ new mental health coordinator Jacqui Davis started in January this year and will lead the mental health services team while being supported by Aboriginal health workers Elizabeth Narkle and Jenny Wallam.
Chief executive officer Lesley Nelson said the health network’s support was vital in enabling the centre to continue providing best-practice and culturally appropriate health services for the Aboriginal community.
“It’s about building capacity to our mental health services, so our clients have more opportunities to access support,” she said.
“The team will help clients through their journey of getting a proper diagnosis, getting to appointments on time, and being educated on ways to manage their mental health needs through support and understanding.
“It’s the first important step in SWAMS being able to increase its reach in a service that is much-needed for our community.
“We recognise the impact mental health issues can have on families and carers and we want to help our clients through education, counselling and open communication.”
Ms Nelson said the positions would be funded until June 2018, however the roles would be ongoing to meet the needs of the community.
2.Victoria: Budja Budja Medical Clinic
The medical team at Budja Budja Medical Clinic display their accreditation which was awarded by Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited.
Patient care at Halls Gap’s Victoria Budja Budja Medical Clinic was rewarded after it received a national award of accreditation.
Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited chair Dr Richard Choong said accreditation showed the practice made a significant investment and commitment to quality on a day-to-day basis and across all levels of the practice team.
“Achieving accreditation is a major achievement for any practice and a clear demonstration that Budja Budja Medical Clinic is striving to improve their level of care to both patients and the community,” he said.
“Practices seek accreditation because they want to do their best and view this as another step towards excellence in patient care.
3.South Australia : Nunkuwarrin Yunti .
2017 Aboriginal Spirit Colour Fun Run & Walk
On January 29th 2017, the Nunkuwarrin Yunti Tackling Tobacco Team held its annual Spirit Colour Fun Run & Walk at Fremont Park, Elizabeth.
Over 150 people joined in on celebrating smoke free environments, being healthy and smoke free.
What a fabulous day! To view more photos from the event visit http://tacklingtobacco.nunku.org.au/2017-spirit-colour-fun-run-walk/
Are you an Aboriginal person living in the Adelaide metropolitan area who needs support to quit smoking? Contact tacklingsmoking@nunku.org.au or phone 08 8406 1600
4.NSW : Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS)
There’s a new health care provider for indigenous people in the western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains regions.
Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS) will take control of indigenous health services at Western Sydney Local Health District and Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District facilities for the next two years.
The arrangement will see WACHS manage “culturally safe” services for population health, chronic care, mental health and drug and alcohol issues.
Funding has been allocated to the group under the federal government’s Indigenous Australians’ Health Program. The NSW Ministry of Health will also contribute funds.
“We are very pleased to have formally signed off on the funding agreement, following negotiations with the Commonwealth and state governments,” WACHS chief executive Darren Ah See said.
WACHS will take the reigns from WentWest, which has run services including the Aboriginal Health Unit at Mount Druitt.
The changeover will officially take affect on April 1.
WACHS has worked within indigenous communities in regional NSW for 25 years.
It opened Aboriginal health services in Orange, Coonamble and Dubbo, and re-opened another in Moree that had been closed for several years.
WSLHD chief executive Danny O’Connor said the organisations would work closely to provide the best care for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people.
