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NACCHO Aboriginal Health and Alcohol @FareAustralia 2017 annual alcohol poll report released #ALCpoll2017

 

FARE has released its 2017 annual alcohol poll : Attitudes and behaviours today. The Poll is now in its eighth yearr of publication and explores Australia’s attitudes towards alcohol, drinking behaviours, awareness and experience of alcohol harms, and opinions on alcohol policies.

This year the results of the Poll have shown that Australians are concerned about and impacted by alcohol harm, and they are suspicious and deeply cynical about the alcohol industry.
Key findings include:

• 81% of Australians believe that more needs to be done to reduce the harm caused by alcohol-related illness, injury, death, and related issues (up from 78% in 2016).

• 44% of Australian drinkers (five million Australians) consume alcohol to get drunk (up from 37% in 2016).
• 92% of Australians think that there is a link between alcohol and family and domestic violence.
• 68% of Australians support a ban on alcohol advertising on television before 8.30pm.

The Poll is available at http://www.fare.org.au , along with a series of short videos.

FARE will be promoting the Poll and using supporting collateral on Twitter and Facebook over the course of the day.

Why not check out the findings, share the link and join the conversation using #alcpoll2017.

Aboriginal Health #ruralhealthconf : Investing in rural health brings $ returns

Investing in rural health brings $ returns to local economies (and improves health)

” When we talk about rural health, it’s easy to focus on health inequalities between the roughly 10% of Australians who live in rural and remote areas and those who live in our cities.

Statistics show the further Australians live from the major cities, the less their life expectancy and the poorer their health.

But rural health is not just an issue about equitable access to health care services; it’s an economic issue that impacts on national, community and family budgets and life’s opportunities.”

Lesley Russell is talking about the economics of delivering primary health care in rural and under-served areas at the 14th National Rural Health Conference in Cairns on Thursday April 27, 2017.

The government isn’t investing enough in rural and remote health because of its failure to recognise the comprehensive impact of health care funding as a driver for local economic development.

The federal government’s development plan for Northern Australiadoesn’t appear to mention health and health care services at all.

This is despite international research showing investing a dollar in rural health care can generate more than a ten-fold economic return.

How can investing in rural health boost economies?

The best example of health care centres as anchors for economic growth and investment comes from the US. Here, community health centres run primary health care clinics (patients’ initial point of contact with the health system) in rural and medically under-served areas.

Data collected over their nearly 50-year history show these centres not only provide quality and culturally safe health care and related social services to vulnerable populations, they stimulate the economies of their local communities.

There’s a multiplier effect that extends beyond the employment of health care professionals and ancillary staff and beyond the walls of the clinics; the centres buy goods and services from local businesses and the improved health of the local population means increased employment and household spending.

For every US$1 invested in these health centres, an estimated US$11 is generated in total economic activity.

Could this happen in Australia?

Australia has shown little interest in these sorts of analyses and economic justifications for changes in health policy to better service rural areas.

For example, we have no idea what economic impact, if any, GP Super Clinics have had in their communities. These are meant to bring together GPs, practice nurses, allied health professionals, visiting medical specialists and other health care providers to address the health care needs and priorities of their local communities.

We still don’t have an economic evaluation of how GP Super Clinics, like this one in the Northern Territory, have fared years after they opened. Larine Statham/AAP

And data is limited for the economic impact of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, which are similar to the community health centres in the US. Although we know such organisations are the largest private employer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, I have seen no economic data beyond this.

What we do know is on the basis of health care costs alone, spending more money more wisely on rural and remote health could result in some significant savings.

For instance, an Australian study showed investing A$1 in medium-level primary care (2-11 visits per year) for people with diabetes in remote Indigenous communities could save A$12.90 in hospitalisation costs.

How best to care for the health of rural Australians?

If we accept there are economic benefits to investing in rural health care, what should our rural health care system or systems look like?

Work from the now-defunded Centre for Excellence for Accessible and Equitable Primary Health Care Service Provision in Rural and Remote Australia gives us some clues.

Researchers said we should agree on a core set of primary health care services to be available to Australians living in rural and remote areas and the necessary support functions to ensure these are sustainable.

Knowing what services are needed allows communities, health professionals and policy makers to ensure they can be delivered in a way that is “fit for (local) purpose” and there are no gaps. It is clear we need something beyond general practice.

They highlighted necessary services including: emergency care, obstetrics (pregancy and birth-related services), mental health and counselling, dental health, rehabilitation, and services for substance abuse, disability and aged care. And of course, there is a range of necessary support functions. These include on-demand specialist back-up, telehealth and video conferencing, and the ability to promptly evacuate seriously ill patients.

Researchers have also looked at the features of effective and sustainable models of primary health care in rural and remote Australia. Key issues were supportive healthy policy, productive relations between federal and state/territory governments and a receptive community; essential services like good governance, management and leadership; as well as adequate funding, infrastructure and workforce supply.

Who will staff primary health care in the bush?

So, how do we recruit, structure and retain the primary health care team needed to deliver these services? Again, we know quite a lot about health care professionals who are more likely to be attracted to the challenges of rural and remote medicine.

Those who love their work in country areas talk about high levels of professional satisfaction, the challenging variety of the work, close relationships with other health professionals, and the sense of satisfaction from their patients.

But the isolation, the struggle with work-life balance, career advancement, schooling for children, jobs for spouses and difficulty finding locums (for instance to back-fill when they are sick, want to take a holiday or need extra training) are causes of dissatisfaction. Future policies need to address these issues.

Looking to the future

Providing sustainable health care services in the bush is possible. But finding the evaluations and anecdotes about what works is not easy.

For instance, it’s now impossible to know from publicly available documents how much federal money is spend on rural health initiatives, let alone their outcomes.

However, websites like Community Commons, which allow people to share their experiences, data and resources about providing health care to local communities, can help.

Expenditure on rural and remote health is a wise use of government resources because it focuses on what private markets are unable to do. It also delivers on outcomes that can be measured in dollar benefits, as well as the social justice currency of a fair go for all Australians.

Yet, there are also concerns that federal government attention to rural health is waning. So, many hopes are pinned on the proposed Rural Health Commissioner to champion the strategic, consistent, long-term and varied health needs of rural and remote communities.

The headline has been updated to reflect the potential economic benefit from investing in Australian rural health.

Lesley Russell is talking about the economics of delivering primary health care in rural and under-served areas at the 14th National Rural Health Conference in Cairns on Thursday April 27, 2017.

NACCHO Aboriginal Health #RuralHealthConf : Our #ACCHO Members Good News Stories from #WA #VIC #SA #NSW #QLD #NT #TAS @KenWyattMP

1.WA : South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS) WA

 2.NSW Biripi Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) launches new services

3. SA : AHCSA Clinton’s Walk For Justice arrives Adelaide  

4. NT Congress Alice Springs Deadly Choices Team

5. QLD Apunipima ACCHO :

Indigenous CBA Interns Raise Money for Kowanyama

6. Victoria : VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team

7. Tasmania’s Flinders Island Tackling Indigenous Smoking

How to submit a NACCHO Affiliate

or Members Good News Story ? 

 Email to Colin Cowell NACCHO Media     Mobile 0401 331 251

Wednesday by 4.30 pm for publication each Thursday

 

1.WA : South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS) WA

Federal minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt visited Bunbury on Monday and took the opportunity to visit the South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS) clinic.

Joined by Federal Member for Forrest Nola Marino, Mr Wyatt admired the state-of-the-art clinic and discussed health care challenges affecting the community.

From HERE

Ministers Wyatt and Marino met the Clinic on Wheels before a sit down with the SWAMS board of directors and staff to discuss achievements, challenges and future plans.

SWAMS chief executive officer Lesley Nelson said opportunities to highlight the needs of the Aboriginal community with key politicians were encouraging for the future of targeted health care in the South West.

“It’s an honour to meet with Minister Wyatt, who is the country’s first Indigenous minister,” Ms Nelson said.

“Our vision is about providing high-quality, holistic and accessible services to the Aboriginal people of the South West and making sure our clients have more opportunities to access support.”

Since opening its new clinic on Forrest Avenue in August 2015, SWAMS has seen a steady increase in client numbers, resulting in boosted health screening rates and regular visits to all clinics.

SWAMS opened its fourth outreach clinic in March, to now operate from Brunswick Junction, Busselton, Collie and Manjimup.

“SWAMS is also focused on bringing specialists to our clinics to help bridge the gap for our clients and community,” Ms Nelson said.

“We recently held an ear, nose and throat clinic with renowned Clinical Professor Harvey Coates, which saw more than 30 children attend.

“SWAMS supports Aboriginal health through a range of tailored programs and services, we are committed to being able to provide quality health care – it’s a vital need.”

Mr Wyatt was born at Roelands Mission farm and entered the federal parliament in 2010 as the Member for Hasluck. Prior to entering Parliament, Wyatt served as Director of the WA office of Aboriginal Health as well as a similar post with NSW Health.

For more information about SWAMS, visit swams.com.au

2.NSW Biripi Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) launches new services

The Biripi Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) has received Primary Health Network funding, meaning it can deliver care coordination programs for members of the Aboriginal community with complex medical needs.

From Here

The Biripi AMS celebrated the official opening of its upgraded clinic facilities on March 10 with the announcement of Primary Health Network funding.

“The new clinic at Purfleet provides primary care and specialists’ services to close the ‘access’ gap for Biripi people,” Biripi Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre CEO Brett Cowling said. The Purfleet clinic has been partially funded by the Commonwealth government.

“Historically, specialist services could only be accessed by travelling to Newcastle, leaving family and leaving Biripi country. The Biripi people also opened a new self funded clinic in 2016 that is closer to the Bushland community where a large population demographic reside.”

“Biripi AMS is now 37 years old and the commissioning of these valuable new assets will help secure the financial viability of the organisation into the future.”

Primary Health Network CEO Richard Nankervis said the aim of the funding is to better treat and manage chronic conditions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by improving access to services and better care coordination.

“Major chronic diseases in our community include asthma, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and mental illness and it is it is vital that these conditions are effectively managed in primary care to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

“The alarming increase in preventable chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity are placing and a huge financial burden on the financial sustainability of the health system and by conducting care coordination programs we can support the patient and facilitate their care needs so we can keep them out of hospital,” Mr Nankervis said.

“A key benefit of care coordination programs is that they are patient-centred, and this is a key focus of all the programs funded by the PHN.

“There is strong evidence that engaging patients more fully in their own healthcare not only improves the experience for patients and those who care for them but it also improves the quality of care and lessens the cost to all.”

Mr Cowling said the funding provided through the Intergrated Team Care (ITC) program will make an important contribution to closing the gap in life expectancy by improving access to culturally appropriate primary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“As part of this funding we will be providing care coordination activities that help patients get to medical appointments; get the patient’s family or carer appropriately involved; utilising relevant electronic clinical software to maintain, update and where required transfer the patient’s medical records to improve clinical handover and share clinical information with other members of the patients’ health care team.”

3. SA : AHCSA Clinton’s Walk For Justice arrives Adelaide  

Along the way the team are spending time in Aboriginal communities; meeting with elders, hearing their stories, talking with school kids and community groups.

Clinton will bring the words of these communities all the way to Canberra

Support Clinton thru Go Fund ME

Photos above shared by  Janette Milera-Kaurna ArabunaNarunga.

 4. NT Congress Alice Springs Deadly Choices Team
The Congress Team in the Barrett Drive Mile this month was lead by CEO Donna Ah Chee ( and NACCHO Board member )
A team of congress GPs, allied health practitioners, Aboriginal health workers, youth workers, smoking cessation workers, social support staff, corporate service staff, senior managers and Executive Directors including the CEO Donna Ah Chee formed the Deadly choices Congress team 2018 in Lasseters mile team event. Gold medal performance.

6. Victoria : VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team

SO much FUN at Melbourne Colour Run . We ran, danced and laughed our way to the finish line!!

It really was the happiest 5K run ever! Well done to all our HerTribe women and their families. Fluro colours look great on everyone!!

#behappy #bepositive #bedeadly #staysmokefree

 

6. QLD Apunipima ACCHO : Indigenous CBA Interns Raise Money for Kowanyama

After a tragic incident in Kowanyama earlier this year, Indigenous interns from the Commonwealth Bank’s CareerTrackers Intern Programme have raised money to support the Kowanyama community.

Interns were led by their manager Kyle, a Koko-Berra man who grew up in Cairns though now lives in Sydney where he works as an Indigenous Careers Acquisition Consultant for Commonwealth Bank.

After Kyle heard about the Kowanyama tragedy he wanted to return to his family in the Cape, some of whom were flown to hospital with severe injuries from the incident. Unfortunately, due to work commitments in other Indigenous communities Kyle could not return to Cairns or Kowanyama to support his family at this difficult time.

Reflecting on what was going through his mind when he heard about the incident, Kyle said, “I saw the news about the incident in Kowanyama on Facebook first, so then I called my Uncle who is up there as asked him what’s going on and if any of our family were there. He said that some of our family were in the house when it happened and they have been flown to hospital in Cairns and Townsville.

“I wanted to go up there and help but I couldn’t because I had some work to do with Indigenous communities and I didn’t want to let them down, so I decided to help by raising funds.”

Apunipima Cape York Health Council were assisting with the injured after the incident. Apunipima put Kyle in touch with Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council who spoke with Kyle about raising funds.

Kyle explained that, “We agreed that the funds raised would go towards building a memorial and help cover costs for the families. When discussing the idea of the community project the Shire Council thought it would be important to make that area a happy place again so maybe they will build a child playground or something as a memorial.”

The project was put to the interns and they came up with the idea to hold a fundraiser event. The event celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and gave the attendees a chance to win prizes through a raffle and silent auction. The interns succeeded in securing a range of donated prizes, as well as some entertainment for the event.

One of the highlights of the raffle was a jersey donated by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) which was signed by the 2016 Wallabies team. Gym franchise Anytime Fitness donated a three month membership which was also raffled off.

The Commonwealth Bank donated a range of cricket memorabilia, including two signed bats. Life Wear also donated some of their garments for the raffle.

Indigenous artist Aunty Bibi Barba donated a painting which successfully raised money through the silent auction.

The CBA CareerTrackers Indigenous Interns also organised a cultural aspect to the event with a few different performances and speakers. The proceedings, included a lesson in language and dance by Tribal Warrior, a not-for-profit Indigenous organisation initiated and directed by Aboriginal people with Aboriginal Elders in Sydney. Two of the interns, Seraphina Lauenstein a Wuthathi women (Cape York, Shelburne Bay) and Jonah Johnson Wiradjuri man (Three ways mission, Griffith), were the MCs for the night.

Other performances included dances by the Butterfly Dancers – a Sydney based Indigenous dance group, as well as a digeridoo performance by one of the interns.

As a thank you to the groups who donated the prizes, the interns donated their time back to Tribal Warrior where they did some community service activities, including boat maintenance, a boxing class, and some language classes.

Altogether $5230 was raised which was donated to Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council for a memorial to be placed at the site as well as to offer support the affected families.

7. Tasmania’s Flinders Island Tackling Indigenous Smoking

Tasmanian Aboriginals are proud of our history and culture;
smoking’s not a tradition we want passed on.

The 12 of US were chosen to represent our communities
and for our belief that together, we can crush the smokes

See all 12 HERE

Download the Newsletter FIAAI Tackling Smoking Newsletter Quarter 1 2017

NACCHO TOP10+ #JobAlerts : This week in Aboriginal Health : #RuralHealthConf Doctors, Aboriginal Health Workers etc. etc

This weeks #Jobalerts

Please note  : Before completing a job application check with the ACCHO that job is still available

1-2 .Danila Dilba Health Service Darwin (2 positions )

3-4-5 Awabakal (3 positions )

6. AH&MRC NSW Public Health and Member Services Support units.

7.Urapuntja Community  NT : Psychologist 

8. Ballarat : Director of Health and Home Support Services

9. Ceduna Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service – GP

10-13 Employment opportunities Lowitja Institute (3 positions)

14.Galangoor Duwalami Primary Health Care Service (2 GP’s)

15.Nunkuwarrin Yunti SA Chronic Condition Management Team

16.Congress Alice Springs : SENIOR ABORIGINAL YOUTH ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

17. Wheatbelt Health Network WA Care Coordinator (Integrated Team Care)

How to submit a Indigenous Health #jobalert ? 

NACCHO Affiliate , Member , Government Department or stakeholder

If you have a job vacancy in Indigenous Health 

 Email to Colin Cowell NACCHO Media

Tuesday by 4.30 pm for publication each Wednesday

 1-2 .Danila Dilba Health Service Darwin (2 positions )

Danila Dilba Health Service is going through a dynamic period of expansion, growth and review and currently has the following vacancies

We offer:

  • Attractive salary with salary packaging benefits
  • Six weeks annual leave
  • Flexible hours
  • Training and development

1.OUTREACH WORKER

(SEWB)

*Total Salary: $66,322 – $71,376

Fixed Term – 1 Position – Full Time

The Outreach Worker will provide extensive support to identified clients affected by domestic violence to address social and family needs and to ensure their access to needed services in the Darwin and Palmerston regions. The Outreach Worker will also work with groups of people in the community to develop community resilience and capacity that is protective against violence

Applications Close:

MONDAY 1 MAY 2017

(Close of business 5.00 p.m.)

2.ABORIGINAL HEALTH  PRACTITIONER

(Palmerston)

*Total Salary: $69,137 – $75,584

1 Position – Full Time

The Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) will participate in the provision of comprehensive primary health care to the Indigenous people of the Greater Darwin Area. In addition the AHP will provide a support role to other health practitioners both within the organisation and the community. The AHP is crucial to maintaining cultural integrity and advocates strongly for our patients.

*Total salary includes leave loading and superannuation

Applications Close:

MONDAY 8 MAY 2017

(Close of business 5.00 p.m.)

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people encouraged to apply.
Danila Dilba Health Service is an Aboriginal community controlled organisation that provides comprehensive, high-quality primary health care and community services to Biluru (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) people in Yilli Rreung (greater Darwin) region.
Details: www.daniladilba.org.au

3-4-5 Awabakal (3 positions )

3. Awabakal Business Manager

4.Awabakal Community Liaison

5. Awabakal Project Officer

 6. AH&MRC NSW Public Health and Member Services Support units.

Full-Time positions available Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council NSW

AH&MRC are looking for highly skilled employees with Aboriginal Health related experience.

We currently have full-time vacancies available in our Public Health and Member Services Support units.

Experience required

  • Knowledge, understanding and experience of Aboriginal health issues, including the social determinants of health – essential
  • Bachelor qualifications preferred but not essential
  • Experience working as an effective team member
  • Verbal communication skills that demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively through consultative processes with Aboriginal communities
  • Written communication skills that demonstrate your ability to prepare and present reports, briefs and general correspondence
  • Demonstrated computer and keyboard skills to operate Microsoft programs and other business applications with knowledge of word processing and spread sheet applications
  • A current driver’s license or the ability to acquire a license and capacity to undertake travel including to rural, remote and regional NSW communities and interstate
  • Attractive salary and salary packaging available
  • Based in Surry Hills, close to Central station and Hyde Park

About AH&MRC

The Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of New South Wales (AH&MRC) is the peak representative body and voice of Aboriginal communities on health in NSW. We represent our members, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) that deliver culturally appropriate comprehensive primary health care to their communities.

The AH&MRC is governed by a Board of Directors who are Aboriginal people elected by our members on a regional basis. We represent and support our members and their communities on Aboriginal health at state and national levels.

For further information and to view position descriptions for the roles available please contact Gordana Agic (HR Coordinator) on (02) 9212 4777 or email mailto:gagic@ahmrc.org.auor simply send through your CV via the Apply button below.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply

The AH&MRC is, and promotes, a smoke-free environment

(The AH&MRC considers that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW))

APPLY HERE

7.Urapuntja Community  NT : Psychologist 

URAPUNTJA HEALTH SERVICE ABORIGINAL CORPORATION

POSITION DESCRIPTION – PYSCHOLOGIST

Title                                     Psychologist

Responsible To                 Clinic Manager

Location                             Amengernternenh Community, Utopia and Ampilatwatja        Community

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Urapuntja Community is situated on the Sandover Highway some 280 km north east of Alice Springs. Urapuntja Community comprises 16 Outstation communities spread out over some 3230 square km of desert. There are some 900 people who are mainly Anmatyerre and Alyawarra speaking people. Distances to the outstations vary from 5 to 100 kms from the clinic.

Urapuntja Health Service developed from many years of negotiations by Aboriginal people to have their own health service. Urapuntja is a community controlled health service with a Board of Directors which is elected from and by the community at the Annual General Meeting held each year. The Directors meets regularly to discuss issues and make decisions relevant to the Organisation.

The Psychologist position has been funded by the NTPHN to provide services to the residents of both the Urapuntja and Ampilatwatja Health Service areas.

The Psychologist will work as a member of the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Team as well as the clinical team, to provide psychological services addressing the needs of all clients using the bio-psychosocial to community members who self- refer or are referred by a provider. At times the Psychologist will work under the supervision of the Clinic Manager. At other times the Psychologist will be required to work with limited assistance. The Psychologist will be required to travel by 4WD vehicle to provide clinical services to remote outstations in both the Urapuntja and Ampilatwatja Health Service Areas.

 

DUTIES OF THE POSITION

  1. Create, develop and nurture culturally appropriate interactions within Primary Health Care (PHC) teams and with the community.
  2. Develop a positive culture within integrated PHC teams through development of “core” behavioural health skills including cooperative interpersonal relationship building strategies.
  3. Make appropriate referrals to other providers and seek resources to aid team members and community residents.
  4. Perform assessment and provide brief treatment for a wide range of psychological and behavioural health needs using brief therapy.
  5. Maintain currency of job knowledge and skills and assist PHC team members to self-care.
  6. Utilises professional communication and conflict resolution skills with team members, various brief therapeutic modalities including group learning circles, individual, child, family, couples counselling, and family support services.
  7. Direct Caseload that involves documentation and procedural adherence; includes Medicare billing as appropriate and provide identified social and emotional wellbeing services to clients.
  8. Provide evidence-based culturally appropriate interventions (including assessment, therapy and case management) on individual, group and family levels.
  9. Ensure the development of Mental Health Care Plans in collaboration with GP’s, for all eligible clients in the service, and facilitate the provision of co-ordinated clinical care and treatment for referred clients.
  10. Follow defined service quality standards and relevant Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) policies and procedures to ensure high quality, safe services are being provided within a safe workplace.

Further

  1. Contribute to opportunities to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes, quality and service delivery outcomes
  2. Participate in opportunistic and community screening activities
  3. Work with other community health program staff and seek advice and assistance from a General Practitioner
  4. Enter data accurately into the Communicare system
  5. Collect specified data on all client contacts in accordance with Clinic and funding body requirements
  6. Liaise with other staff within Urapuntja Health Service in regards to patient care, referrals and follow up as required
  7. Assist other health staff requiring community, cultural and/or linguistic assistance with clients where culturally appropriate
  8. To provide quality and professional service of care and work ethics at all times
  9. Work within strict confidentiality guidelines, ensuring all client and organisational information is kept secure
  10. Undertake any other duties at the request of the Clinic Manager which are considered relevant to the position and the level of classification

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential

  • Recognised qualifications in Psychology with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration to practice as a Psychologist.
  • Proven ability to be self-directed and self-motivated as well as working effectively as a member of a team.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of current issues, standards and trends in the delivery of mental health and social and emotional well-being services to Aboriginal people.
  • Demonstrated recent experience in the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing assessment, treatment and rehabilitation methods appropriate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people.
  • Proven ability to be able to develop the behavioural health and working skills required by each employee working within a PHC team.
  • Proficiency in and commitment to the use of electronic information systems for the maintenance of clinical and service delivery records.
  • Hold a current Northern Territory (NT) manual driver’s licence or ability to obtain, ability and willingness to undertake travel by 4WD or light aircraft to remote communities, and capacity to reside in a remote community.
  • A good level of health and fitness that matches the requirements of the role. Note: If so required by UHSAC at any time, you must undergo a satisfactory medical examination (including a pre-employment medical examination) for the purpose of determining whether you are able to perform the inherent requirements of your position. Any such medical examination will be at the employer’s cost, and copies of any medical report will be provided to you. You must advise UHSAC of any illness, injury, disease, or any other matter relating to your health or physical fitness which may prevent you from performing your duties, or which may affect your ability to work safely.
  • Excellent communication skills, in particular the ability to communicate sensitively in a cross-cultural environment
  • Current Drivers Licence
  • Ochre Card (Working with Children Clearance)

 

Desirable

    • Masters in Clinical Psychology qualification.
    • Awareness of/sensitivity to Aboriginal culture and history
    • Experience in using a Patient Information and Recall System and in data collection and analysis including the ability to use word processing, spreadsheet, and database software to produce effective reports.
    • Previous experience working with primary health care teams.
  • Experience working in the area of Indigenous Primary Health

 

  • Highly developed cross cultural communication skills and willingness to take cultural advice from Aboriginal staff
  • Previous experience working with remote Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal organisations and groups

 

 

8. Ballarat ACCHO : Director of Health and Home Support Services
 

The role of the Director of Health and Home Support Services is to provide overarching management across the organisation in the areas of Health and Home Support Services. The position will require the incumbent to effectivly managet and provide service development across the BADAC Health program, Medical Clinic, Social and Emotional Wellbeing program and the Home Support Services.

The Director of Health and Home Support Services will be required to review the current service delivery provided by the organisation and implement concepts and ideas that will work toward the further development of the program and generate possible business concepts that will assist in the directorates operational oncosts and contribute to the organisations overarching goal of achieving self-sustainability.

Applicaitions for this position close on the 3rd of May 2017-5pm.

For information on the position, please contact David Carter (Director of Human Resources and Early Childhood Services) on dcarter@badac.net.au

For position description and application submission, please contact Emily Carter (Human Resource Administrator) on ecarter@badac.net.au

APPLY HERE

9.Ceduna Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service – GP

Medical practice in rural and remote Australia

10-13 Employment opportunities Lowitja Institute (3 positions)

Become part of a leading national Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation

Competititve salary with generous salary sacrifice options

For all enquiries please contact the Lowitja Institute reception on t: 03 8341 5555 or e: admin@lowitja.org.au 

Communications Officer

  • Full time
  • Melbourne-based

The Communications Officer will be a member of the Innovation and Business Development Team, working with the Communications Manager to establish and deliver the Institute’s communications agenda in service of enhancing the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Applications close 5pm AEST, Wednesday 1 May 2017.

Position description

Apply online

Research Project Officer

  • Full time
  • Melbourne-based

The Research Project Officer will be a member of the Research and Knowledge Translation team, which is responsible for the creation and management of the research-related activities and products required to meet the strategic and operational objectives of the Institute. The Research Project Officer will work within one of the Lowitja Institute’s broader activities, Insight, which converts key elements of research findings into approaches for evidence-based decision making by policymakers, communities and service practitioners.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Applications close 5pm AEST, Wednesday 1 May 2017.

Position description

Apply online

Product Innovation Specialist

  • Full time
  • Melbourne-based

The Product Innovation Specialist will be a member of the Innovation and Business Development Team, working with the Team Director to establish and deliver the Institute’s innovation pipeline agenda including consultancies to enhance the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Applications close 5pm AEST, Wednesday 1 May 2017.

Position description

Apply online

14. Galangoor Duwalami Primary Health Care Service (2 GP’s)

 

Galangoor Duwalami Primary Healthcare Service is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled primary health care service, operating in both Hervey Bay and Maryborough, servicing the entire Fraser Coast area.

Galangoor Duwalami collaborates with health and well-being partner agencies to enable integrated continuity of care for the community, and continue to work to contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy and program reform in Queensland to address the Burden of disease and Close the Gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

General Practitioner (GP) two positions available

This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative and flexible employer, enthusiastic and committed team and make a direct impact on improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Fraser Coast area.

The Practice:

Galangoor Duwalami (meaning a ‘happy meeting place’) is located on the Fraser Coast in sunny Queensland, with two clinics (Hervey Bay and Maryborough). Originally established in 2007 we offer a comprehensive suite of Health Services within the Fraser Coast region.

The Hervey Bay clinic is situated at the beachside, while a newly built practice in the heart of Historical Maryborough, offers exceptional facilities with 10 consulting rooms including a mums and bubs room, new equipment and large reception. The practice is Community Controlled and has a well-established clientele and reports indicate continued growth.

This is a rewarding prospect for a compassionate, engaging, visionary and thorough General Practitioner with an ability to work within a diverse interdisciplinary team exhibiting admirable communication skills.

  • Two positions available – 2 Part Time – hours negotiable OR 1 Full Time and 1 Part Time
  • Well balanced working environment – Monday to Friday from 0830 to 1700.
  • No on-call requirements
  • Competitive Salary Package
  • Salary packaging
  • Annual Leave plus Study Leave
  • 9.5% Superannuation Entitlement

Key Requirements:

Must Have:

  • Qualified Medical Practitioner, holding current registration with the Medical Board of Australia
  • Eligible for unrestricted Medicare Provider Number

Download this Information GP Advertisement

Application Process:

A Position Description is available by email. All applications, including a covering letter, are to be e-mailed to: ann.woolcock@gdphcs.com.au

For further details regarding this position please contact Ann Woolcock on 07 41945554.

15.Nunkuwarrin Yunti SA Chronic Condition Management Team

Nunkuwarrin Yunti has multiple positions on our Chronic Conditions Management team.

Location: Adelaide, SA

Reference: 87409

Link to job ad/to apply: http://applynow.net.au/jobs/87409

Job Title: Chronic Conditions Clinical Workers

Short description/teaser: Multiple opportunities to join a well-respected Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation renowned throughout South Australia!

About the Organisation

Nunkuwarrin Yunti is the foremost Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation in Adelaide, South Australia, providing a range of health care and community support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

First incorporated in 1971, Nunkuwarrin Yunti has grown from a welfare agency with three employees to a multi-faceted organisation with over 100 staff who deliver a diverse range of health care and community support services.

Nunkuwarrin Yunti aims to promote and deliver improvement in the health and wellbeing of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the greater metropolitan area of Adelaide, and advance their social, cultural and economic status. The organisation places a strong focus on a client centred approach to the delivery of services and a collaborative multidisciplinary working culture to achieve the best possible outcome for clients.

About the Opportunity

Nunkuwarrin Yunti is seeking a number of Chronic Conditions Clinical Workers to join their team on a full-time basis.

Reporting to the Chronic Conditions Coordinator, you will provide services for clients with chronic health conditions engaged with the Chronic Conditions Management team. Working alongside a range of service providers, you will ensure coordinated, flexible and accessible care for individual clients.

Working under general or limited direction (depending on level) of the Chronic Conditions Coordinator the primary role of the Chronic Conditions Clinical Worker is to deliver a range of services which includes, but is not limited to:

  • Development, management and implementation of multidisciplinary care plans based on best practice, to optimise health and wellbeing outcomes for individual clients;
  • Management of care coordination processes including recall and referral, case conferencing and coordination of visiting specialist clinics;
  • Liaison with external agencies as necessary for individual client care and development of accessible and appropriate systems and services for the client group; and
  • Information and education to increase awareness and understanding of healthy lifestyles.Working in conjunction with a team of highly skilled health professionals, you’ll have the opportunity to provide a much needed service for your clients. You’ll be given the chance to work closely with a wide variety of people and make a real impact on their health and welfare outcomes, as well as working towards Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Health!Nunkuwarrin Yunti is committed to nurturing ongoing professional development and growth, with training, mentoring and guidance provided. You’ll be granted a number of opportunities for career advancement, alongside the chance to build your experience within Aboriginal health.
  • This is a fantastic opportunity to join an influential Aboriginal health organisation in metropolitan Adelaide. Apply now! Please Note: Applications close 12pm ACST on the 26th of April, 2017.
  • Your dedication and hard work will be rewarded with a competitive remuneration circa $59,045 – $66,566, commensurate with skills and experience, plus super. You’ll also enjoy extensive salary packaging options that greatly increase your take home pay!
  • About the Benefits

Here is the link to the advertisement.

https://www.seek.com.au/job/33171419?type=standard&tier=no_tier&pos=1&whereid=3000&userqueryid=633e3c0a1b7c540e57937f39f915feb3-1213354&ref=beta

16.Congress Alice Springs : SENIOR ABORIGINAL YOUTH ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

  • Base Salary: $62,263- $67,567(p.a.)
  • Total Effective Package: $79,126 – $85,041(p.a.)*
  • Full-time, fixed term contract up to 30/09/2017

This is an Aboriginal Identified Position

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress) has over 40 years’ experience providing comprehensive primary health care for Aboriginal people living in Central Australia. Congress is seeking a Senior Aboriginal Youth Engagement Officer who is interested in making a genuine contribution to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

The position leads the Aboriginal Youth Engagement Officer’s (YEO) with responsibility for team and relationship management of the Congress After Hours Services. The Senior Aboriginal Youth Engagement Officer engages with young people in the Alice Springs CBD at night, assists transport of young people off the streets to a safe place and provides brief crisis intervention and referrals.

Night and weekend work is an inherent requirement of the position.

Alice Springs offers a unique lifestyle in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in the heart of Australia. It is within easy reach of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Watarrka (Kings Canyon) and a host of other world heritage sites.

As well as a wonderful lifestyle and rewarding work, Congress offers the following:

  • Competitive salaries
  • Six (6) weeks annual leave
  • 9.5% superannuation
  • Generous salary packaging
  • A strong commitment to Professional Development
  • Family friendly conditions
  • Relocation assistance (where applicable)

For more information on the position please contact the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Manager, Dr Jon-Paul Cacioli on (08) 8959 4799 or jon-paul.cacioli@caac.org.au.

Applications close: FRIDAY 28 APRIL 2017.

*Total effective package includes: base salary, district allowance, superannuation, leave loading, and estimated tax saving from salary packaging options.

Contact Human Resources on (08) 8959 4774 for more information.

For more information about jobs at Congress visit www.caac.org.au/hr.

To apply for this job go to: http://www.caac.org.au/hr & enter ref code: 3460868.

For more information about jobs at Congress visit
http://www.caac.org.au/hr

17. Wheatbelt Health Network WA Care Coordinator (Integrated Team Care)

 
We are seeking a Care Coordinator (Integrated Team Care) to join our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health team at the Wheatbelt Health Centre in Northam, WA.
The Care Coordinator will coordinate care and support to ATSI clients, to facilitate client self-management of chronic conditions and assist them to achieve optimal health outcomes.
The Coordinator works collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive support to clients and will take a lead role in liaising with the local ATSI community.
The applicant must have a Aboriginal Health Worker or Aboriginal Health Practitioner background.
This is an Indigenous-identified position

NACCHO Aboriginal Health and #WorldImmunisationWeek : @healthgovau Vaccination for our Mob

 ” Health disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians continue to be a priority for Australian governments.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are significantly more affected by: low birth weight, chronic diseases and trauma resulting in early deaths and poor social and emotional health.

Historically, immunisation has been and remains, a simple, timely, effective and affordable way to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples health, delivering positive outcomes for Australians of all ages.

Reports that focus on vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are published regularly by the National Centre for Immunisation Research (NCIRS).

They are modelled on the national surveillance reports and provide a comparison of VPDs and vaccination coverage between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians. The latest (third) report, which covered the period 2006–2010, was published as a supplement issue of Communicable Diseases Intelligence in December 2013.

These reports have also been modified for use by Aboriginal Health Workers and other staff without clinical experience working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health “

From the Department of Health Website : This week is #WorldImmunisationWeek. Check here on Twitter @healthgovau each morning next week for 5 facts on vaccines

Pictured above the Chair of NACCHO Matthew Cooke having his annual flu shot

Download vaccination-for-our-mob-2006-2010

A number of immunisation programs are available for people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. These programs provide protection against some of the most harmful infectious diseases that cause severe illness and deaths in our communities.

Immunisations are provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in the following age groups:

  • Children aged 0-five
  • Children aged 10-15
  • People aged 15+
  • People aged 50+

Free vaccinations under the National Immunisation Program can be accessed through community controlled Aboriginal Medical Services:

Find locations of most of our 302 ACCHO clinics on our Free NACCHO APP

local health services or general practitioners.

Children aged 0-five

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-five should receive the routine vaccines given to other children. You can see a list of these vaccines in the Children 0-five page.

In addition, children aged 0-five of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent can receive the following additional vaccines funded under the National Immunisation Program:

Pneumococcal disease

An additional booster dose of pneumococcal vaccine is required between the ages of 12 and 18 months. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia continue to be at risk of pneumococcal disease for a longer period than other children.

This program does not apply to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania or the Australian Capital Territory, where the rate of pneumococcal disease is similar to that of non-Indigenous children.

Hepatitis A

This vaccination is given because hepatitis A is more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in in Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia than it is among other children. Two doses of vaccine are given six months apart starting over the age of 12 months.

The age at which hepatitis A and pneumococcal vaccines are given varies among the four states and territories.

Influenza (flu)

From 2015, the flu vaccine will be provided free for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged six months to five years is available under the National Immunisation Program. The flu shot will protect your children against the latest seasonal flu virus.

Some children over the age of five years with other medical conditions should also have the flu shot to reduce their risk of developing severe influenza.

Children aged 10 – 15

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 10-15 should receive the following routine vaccines given to other children aged 10-15:

  • Varicella (chickenpox)
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (whooping cough) (dTpa)

People aged 15+

Pneumococcal disease

Pneumococcal vaccines are free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from 50 years of age, as well as those aged 15 to 49 years who are at high risk of invasive pneumococcal disease.

Influenza (Flu)

Due to disease burden influenza vaccines are free for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months to five years old and 15 years old or over. The flu shot will protect you against the latest seasonal flu virus.

More information:

Vaccination for the mob Data analysis

Source reference

NCIRS have been leaders in the use of surveillance data to evaluate and track trends in morbidity due to vaccine preventable diseases in Aboriginal people.

Since 2004, NCIRS has produced regular reports on vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These reports bring together relevant routinely collected data on notifications, hospitalisations and deaths, and childhood and adult vaccination coverage.

Production of these reports has required the development and/or application of new methods to determine the quality and completeness of Aboriginal data. Establishing minimum criteria of data quality has led to the availability of improved data from more Australian states and territories. This has allowed wider use of data and subsequent publication through these reports. While the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has developed methods for assessing data quality for hospitalisations in Aboriginal people, NCIRS is the only organisation to systematically apply similar standards to VPD hospitalisations and vaccination coverage.

Reports are modelled on the national surveillance reports (also produced by NCIRS) and provide a comparison of VPDs and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians and a focus on the quality of Aboriginal health data. The latest (third) report, which covered the period 2006–2010, was published as a supplement issue of Communicable Diseases Intelligence in December 2013.

The reports have also been modified for use by Aboriginal health workers and other staff without clinical experience working in Aboriginal health (published as Vaccination for our Mob).

NACCHO Aboriginal Youth and Mental Health : Download Report from @MissionAust and @blackdoginst

 ” It is critical that responses to support a young person’s mental health be culturally sensitive and gender sensitive and that they address the structural issues that contribute to higher levels of psychological distress for young females and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

For example, we know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to be adversely affected by racism, disconnection from culture, and the long history of dispossession. All of these factors contribute to poor mental health, substance misuse and higher suicide rates.

As a matter of priority, suicide prevention programs that are tailored to the needs of the whole community and focussed on prevention should be available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. All programs should be offered in close proximity to community and should be age appropriate as well as culturally sensitive.”

Download a copy of the Five-Year Youth Mental Health Report

 youth-mental-health-report

NACCHO Background References (1-4)

Ref 1:  Read / research the 250 NACCHO Articles

about Aboriginal Mental Health published in past 5 years

about suicide prevention in the past 5 years

Ref 2 :Download the Draft Fifth National Mental Health Plan at the link below:

 “The release of the Draft Fifth National Mental Health Plan is another important opportunity to support reform, and it’s now up to the mental health sector including consumers and carers, to help develop a plan that will benefit all.”

A successful plan should help overcome the lack of coordination and the fragmentation between layers of government that have held back our efforts to date.”

NACCHO and Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan have welcomed the release of the Draft Fifth National Mental Health Plan and is encouraging all ACCHO stakeholders to engage with the plan during the upcoming consultation period.

Download the Draft Fifth National Mental Health Plan at the link below:

PDF Copy fifth-national-mental-health-plan

You can download a copy of the draft plan;or see extracts below

Fifth National Mental Health Plan – PDF 646 KB
Fifth National Mental Health Plan – Word 537 KB

Ref 3: NACCHO Chairperson, Matthew Cooke see previous press Release

“Clearly Australia’s mental health system is failing Aboriginal people, with Aboriginal communities devastated by high rates of suicide and poorer mental health outcomes. 

Poor mental health in Aboriginal communities often stems from historic dispossession, racism and a poor sense of connection to self and community. It is compounded by people’s lack of access to meaningful and ongoing education and employment. Drug and alcohol related conditions are also commonly identified in persons with poor mental health.

While there was no quick fix for the crisis, an integrated strategy led by Aboriginal community controlled health services is a good starting point.

The National Mental Health Commission Review recommended the establishment of mental health and social and emotional wellbeing teams in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, linked to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specialist mental health services.

None of these can be fixed overnight but we can’t ignore the problems. We are on the brink of losing another generation of Aboriginal people to suicide, poor health and substance abuse.”

What we do know is the solution must be driven by Aboriginal leaders and communities – a model that is reaping great rewards in the Aboriginal Community Controlled health sector.

It must be a community based approach, backed up by governments of all levels.”

NACCHO Chairperson, Matthew Cooke

Ref 4 : Extra info provided by Tom Calma

Prof Pat Dudgeon and Tom Calma chair the ATSI Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Advisory Group to the Commonwealth and Pat Chairs NATSIMHL, the group who created the Gayaa Dhuwi.

Bottom line is that the community should feel confident that all the major initiatives in mental health and suicide prevention are being lead by our people and more can be found at http://natsilmh.org.au

and http://www.psychology.org.au/reconciliation/whats_new/

and http://www.atsispep.sis.uwa.edu.au

Action urgently needed to stem rising youth mental illness

Last week Mission Australia released its joint Five-Year Youth Mental Health Report with Black Dog Institute, sharing the insights gathered about the mental health of Australia’s young people during the years 2012 to 2016.

Learning what young people think is so important to the work we do at Mission Australia. By checking in with them we discover their thoughts about their lives and their futures, and what concerns them most.

The Five Year Mental Health Youth Report presents the findings of the past five years on the rates of psychological distress experienced by young Australians, aged 15-19.

  • Almost one in four young people met the criteria for having a probable serious mental illness – a significant increase over the past five years (rising from 18.7% in 2012 to 22.8% in 2016).
  • Across the five years, females were twice as likely as males to meet the criteria for having a probable serious mental illness. The increase has been much more marked among females (from 22.5% in 2012 to 28.6% in 2016, compared to a rise from 12.7% to 14.1% for males).
  • Young people with a probable serious mental illness reported they would go to friends, parents and the internet as their top three sources of help. This is compared to friends, parents and relatives/family friends for those without a probable serious mental illness.
  • In 2016, over three in ten (31.6%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents met the criteria for probable serious mental illness, compared to 22.2% for non-Indigenous youth.

In light of these findings, Catherine Yeomans, Mission Australia’s CEO said: “Adolescence comes with its own set of challenges for young people. But we are talking about an alarming number of young people facing serious mental illness; often in silence and without accessing the help they need.

The effects of mental illness at such a young age can be debilitating and incredibly harmful to an individual’s quality of life, academic achievement, and social participation both in the short term and long term.

Ms Yeomans said she was concerned that the mental health of the younger generation may continue to deteriorate without extra support and resources, including investment in more universal, evidence-based mental health programs in schools and greater community acceptance.

Given these concerning findings, I urge governments to consider how they can make a major investment in supporting youth mental health to reduce these alarming figures, Ms Yeomans said.

“We need to ensure young people have the resources they need to manage mental health difficulties, whether it is for themselves or for their peers. Parents, schools and community all play a vital role and we must fully equip them with the knowledge and skills to provide effective support to young people.”

The top issues of concern for those with a probable serious mental illness were: coping with stress; school and study problems; and depression. There was also a notably high level of concern about other issues including family conflict, suicide and bullying/emotional abuse.

The report’s finding that young people with mental illness are turning to the internet as a source of help with important issues also points to prevailing stigma, according to Black Dog Institute Director, Professor Helen Christensen.

“This report shows that young people who need help are seeking it reluctantly, with a fear of being judged continuing to inhibit help-seeking,” said Professor Christensen.

“Yet evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs are vital in reducing the risk of an adolescent developing a serious and debilitating mental illness in their lifetime. We need to take urgent action to turn this rising tide of mental illness.

“We know that young people are turning to the internet for answers and our research at Black Dog Institute clearly indicates that self-guided, online psychological therapy can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

“While technology can be a lifeline, e-mental health interventions must be evidence-based and tailored to support young people’s individual needs. More investment is needed to drive a proactive and united approach to delivering new mental health programs which resonate with young people, and to better integrate these initiatives across schools and the health system to help young people on a path to a mentally healthier future.”

Armed with this information we are able to advocate on their behalf for the support services they need, and for the broader policy changes.

Download the NACCHO Mental Health Help APP to find your nearest ACCHO

 The Five-Year Youth Mental Health Report shows some alarming results with almost one in four young people meeting the criteria for a probable serious mental illness (PSMI). That figure has gone up from 18.7 per cent in 2012 to 22.8 per cent in 2016.

Girls were twice as likely as boys to meet the criteria for having a PSMI, and this figure rose from 22.5% in 2012 to 28.6% in 2016, compared to a rise from 12.7% to 14.1% for boys.

An even higher number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents met the criteria for having a probable serious mental illness (PSMI ) at 31%.

These results make it clear that mental illness is one of the most pressing issues in our communities, especially for young people, and one that has to be tackled by the governments, health services, schools and families.

Three quarters of all lifetime mental health disorders emerge by the age of 24, but access to mental health services for this age group is among the poorest, with the biggest barriers being community awareness, access and acceptability of services.

What we need is greater investment in mental health services that are tailored to the concerns and help seeking strategies of young people and are part of a holistic wrap around approach to their diverse needs.

For young women, we know that a large proportion (64%) were extremely or very concerned about body image compared to a far smaller number of males (34.8%).

Such a finding suggests that social pressures such as discrimination based on ideals of appearance may need to be addressed to tackle this gender disparity in the levels of probable serious mental illness among girls.

And although girls are more likely to be affected negatively by body image issues, they are more likely to seek help when they need it than boys.

Clearly then, and for a variety of reasons, an awareness of gendered differences is a crucial component in the management of mental health issues.

We need to ensure that all young people, whether they live in urban areas or regional, have the resources they need to manage mental health difficulties, whether it is for themselves or for their peers. Parents, schools and community all play a vital role and we must fully equip them with the evidence-based knowledge and skills to provide effective support to young people.

 

 

 

NACCHO Aboriginal Health and #FASD : #Prevention and #HealthPromotion Resources Package

 ” The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Prevention and Health Promotion Resources Package – ‘the Package’

 Is designed to equip Australian health professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to develop, implement and evaluate community-driven solutions to reduce alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking and substance misuse during pregnancy, and to cut down on the number of unplanned pregnancies in their communities.

During 2015–17, the Package was delivered to staff from participating New Directions: Mothers and Babies Services (NDMBS), a national program to increase access to child and maternal health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.”

Download the 4 Page brochure

FASD_Resources_Package_Summary

And read the 20+ FASD NACCHO articles published

Why are these resources needed?

Although high rates of alcohol consumption have been reported across all Australian populations, research shows that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are more likely to consume alcohol at harmful levels during pregnancy, thereby greatly increasing the risk of stillbirths, infant mortality and infants born with an intellectual disability.

Addressing the effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and in particular FASD, requires both an understanding of how the cultural context, historical legacy and social determinants affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the importance of working in partnership with communities and relevant organisations.

When surveyed, most health professionals reported they did not ask their clients about alcohol use in pregnancy, or provide women with information about the effects of alcohol on the fetus.2 Challenges included limited knowledge and resources among health professionals to tackle the issue, along with a lack of confidence in advising clients. As such, we determined that resourcing and educating health professionals were critical factors to implementing a whole-of-community approach to preventing FASD in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Piloting the Package

We piloted two days of training with 80 health professionals from 40 participating NDMBS sites, with the aim of increasing:

  1. awareness and understanding of alcohol, tobacco and other substances use during pregnancy and of FASD
  2. awareness of existing FASD health promotion resources and of how best to use these resources within primary health care services in line with their community needs
  3. knowledge and skills to develop, implement and evaluate community-driven solutions to reduce alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking and substance misuse during pregnancy, and reduce unplanned pregnancies

What’s in the Package?

Health promotion resources targeted at five key groups:

  1. Pregnant women
  2. Women of child-bearing age
  3. Grandmothers and aunties
  4. Men
  5. Health professionals

Five discrete training modules to assist health professionals share FASD prevention information and use the resources effectively within their community:

  • Introduction: FASD Prevention and Health Promotion Resources Package
  • Module 1: What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
  • Module 2: Brief Intervention and Motivational Interviewing
  • Module 3: Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Module 4: Sharing Health Information

Training support materials to assist health professionals in delivering their own FASD training:

  • Facilitator manual
  • Participant workbook

Download the 4 Page brochure

FASD_Resources_Package_Summary

For more information

Dr Christine Hannah  07 3169 4201

christine.hannah@menzies.edu.au

 

NACCHO Aboriginal Health #457 Workforce Survey : Will your ACCHO be effected by #457visa changes ?

 ” NACCHO would like to know if your service is effected by the Australian Government’s abolition of 457 visas in over 200 occupations which could have adverse effects on the supply of health services in rural areas and remote regions?”

The health sector /ACCHO’s has yesterday (20 April ) had a press release and video response from Assistant Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie (see above extract and in full below )

 ” The changes announced this week will not have any significant impact on the ability of rural and regional areas to recruit temporary skilled overseas trained health professionals”

WATCH VIDEO HERE

But according to National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive David Butt (see press release 2 below )  there were nearly 4,000 medical practitioners in Australia on 457 visas, as well as 1,800 nurses, 500 allied health workers, nearly 400 specialists, around 200 dental professionals, and nearly 650 other health professionals, including aged care, disability, health administration and medical science workers.

Read yesterdays NACCHO post with press release concerns /responses from National Rural Health Alliance , the AMA and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia

NACCHO Aboriginal Health Workforce and #457visas : Overseas trained doctors still essential in the bush: assurances needed on 457

Let us know if you have any concerns about your workforce issue regarding health care workers on a 457 visa and the occupations in your service impacted by the proposed changes.

You can email your concerns to NACCHO NEWS Or

or leave your comments at the end of this post

Please note: On 18 April 2017, the Government announced that the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457 visa) will be abolished and replaced with the completely new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa in March 2018.

The TSS visa programme will be comprised of a Short-Term stream of up to two years and a Medium-Term stream of up to four years and will support businesses in addressing genuine skill shortages in their workforce and will contain a number of safeguards which prioritise Australian workers.

Rural doctors not affected by 457 visa changes says Minister

Assistant Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie ( Pictured above visiting his local ACCHO last month ) has reassured doctors and rural communities on the impacts of the Coalition Government’s changes to the temporary and permanent employer sponsored skilled migration schemes.

Download the Press Release HERE 457 Visas

“The changes announced this week will not have any significant impact on the ability of rural and regional areas to recruit temporary skilled overseas trained health professionals,

“While I note the concerns of the Australian Medical Association and the Rural Doctors’ Association of Australia about the future of international medical graduates in rural communities, appropriately qualified health professionals will continue to have access to Australia’s Temporary Migration scheme.”

Minister Gillespie said the changes are intended to prioritise opportunities for Australian workers and professionals, and will be introduced in stages through to March 2018.

“Initially, the skilled occupation lists have been tightened to remove some occupations, including some health occupations where very few people had accessed the visa over the last four years.

This will have minimal impact, with less than a handful of overseas professionals currently working in Australia,” Minister Gillespie said.

Minister Gillespie said the visa assessment process for overseas trained doctors is already quite stringent.

“All overseas trained doctors, regardless of their visa category, are assessed against their prior work experience and their English language skills before they can enter Australia.

This testing is conducted as part of the medical registration and credentialing processes that inform visa application assessments,” Minister Gillespie said.

“Many temporary resident overseas trained doctors who have entered Australia under the current 457 visa arrangements are being employed to work in state-approved supervised Area of Need positions.

“These positions are approved only after the prospective employer has completed labour market testing and can demonstrate a need for an overseas-trained doctor to fill a position.

“In addition, the Medicare legislation places a requirement on overseas trained doctors to work in areas recognised as districts of workforce shortage.”

Minister Gillespie said there will be consultation process ahead of the more significant changes in March next year.

“The Department of Health will continue to ensure that any future changes to the skilled occupation lists support health workforce requirements.

He said the Coalition Government remains heavily invested in boosting the Australian-trained regional and rural workforce through initiatives such as the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program.

“As part of this initiative, we’ve recently announced an additional $54.4 million over two years to 2018-19 for 26 regional training hubs and three additional University Departments of Rural Health,” Minister Gillespie said.

“This will provide additional opportunities for health and medical students to live, study and work in rural and regional Australia and improve access to health services for the people that live in those communities.”

Press Release 2 :Abolition of 457 visas could lead to rural health service shortages

‘While we fully support education and training strategies to build a strong health workforce within Australia, it’s a fact that it is still a challenge to fill some roles, particularly in regional and rural areas’, said AHHA Chief Executive Alison Verhoeven.

Download Press Release NRH AHHA 457 Visas

National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive David Butt said there were nearly 4,000 medical practitioners in Australia on 457 visas, as well as 1,800 nurses, 500 allied health workers, nearly 400 specialists, around 200 dental professionals, and nearly 650 other health professionals, including aged care, disability, health administration and medical science workers.

‘Many of these people are working in rural and regional areas’, Mr Butt said.

‘These skilled clinicians and other health professionals who have come to Australia on 457 visas have made a substantial contribution to our capacity to provide to provide health services, particularly to people in the bush.

‘Many have stayed on to become permanent residents, and are highly valued members of our community.’

Ms Verhoeven said feedback from AHHA members ‘on the ground’ in rural areas is that the opportunity to transition from a 457 visa to permanent residency was a significant incentive for much-needed overseas-trained doctors to take up positions in Australia, and especially in rural areas. This ability to transition is not part of the replacement 2- and 4-year visas now being offered.

‘We think that there could well be a negative impact, not only on availability of clinicians, but on continuity of care if visas are only issued for 2 or 4 years’, Ms Verhoeven said.

‘We also think that this impact will stretch beyond medical practitioners to a range of health and disability and aged care workers, including administrative staff who code and collect the health data that are so important to health services planning and funding.’

Mr Butt said people in rural and regional areas, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, already experience reduced access to health services, and more illness and injury compared with other Australians.

‘We must ensure that market testing is not the cause of further delay to these communities. I also strongly urge the Government to look at these issues as part of a more comprehensive plan to address workforce distribution.

‘Changes to the visa program must therefore take into account our need to ensure good health services are available for all community members—skill shortages cannot be fixed overnight and require long term planning and investment’, Mr Butt said.

 

NACCHO Aboriginal Health : @aihw Report #Alcohol and other #drug #treatment

 ” For the 25,200 clients receiving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health-care services, alcohol and cannabis were among the top 5 most common substance-use issues “

Read or download previous 170 + NACCHO Alcohol and other Drug article HERE

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations: alcohol and other drug treatment

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health-care services provide a variety of health care services, including extended care roles (for example, diagnosis and treatment of illness and disease, 24-hour emergency care, dental/hearing/optometry services), preventive health care (for example, health screening for children and adults), health-related community support (for example, school-based activities, transport to medical appointments) and support in relation to substance-use issues.

Information on the majority of Australian Government-funded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander substance use services are available from the Online Services Report (OSR) data collection.

While the number of treatment episodes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is reported through the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS), it does not represent all alcohol and other drug treatments provided to Indigenous people in Australia.

The OSR and AODTS NMDS have different collection purposes, scope and counting rules (see Box 1 for details).

Key data from the 2014–15 OSR relevant to substance-use issues are provided below.

Substance use issues

The 5 most common substance-use issues reported by organisations providing substance-use services in 2014–15, in terms of staff time and organisational resources, were alcohol, cannabis or marijuana, amphetamines, multiple drug use and tobacco or nicotine (Table 1). In 2014–15, almost all (96%) of 67 organisations reported alcohol as one of their 5 most common substance-use issues and 88% reported cannabis or marijuana. Organisations reporting amphetamines as a common substance-use issue increased from 45% in 2013–14 to 70% of organisations in 2014–15. This pattern was consistent across remoteness areas.

Table 1: Number of organisations reporting common substance-use issues, by remoteness area, 2014–15
Substance use issue Major
cities		 Inner regional Outer regional Remote Very
remote		 Total
Alcohol 15 8 12 13 16 64
Cannabis/marijuana 13 6 12 13 15 59
Amphetamines 12 8 14 5 8 47
Multiple drug use 11 7 13 4 8 43
Tobacco/nicotine 7 3 8 10 10 38

Note: Organisations were asked to report on their 5 most important substance-use issues in terms of staff time and organisational resources.

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2016. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations: Online Services Report—key results 2014–15. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services report No. 7. IHW 168. Canberra: AIHW.

Continued here

Alcohol and other drug treatment National Minimum Data set (AODTS NMDS 2015–16)

Key findings

Alcohol and other drug treatment services assist people to address their problematic drug use through a range of treatments. Treatment objectives can include reduction or cessation of drug use as well as improvements to social and personal functioning. Assistance may also be provided to support the family and friends of people using drugs.

Following are highlights from the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS).

AODTS NMDS data cubes

Data cubes for 2015–16 are now available.

The data cubes are a set of interactive tables. They provide a comprehensive set of data from which the majority of the variables in the AODTS NMDS can be interrogated, allowing users to create their own custom data tables, or to re-create data presented in this report.

In the following web pages, where data—either in text or in a Figure—relate to a data cube, a link has been provided to the relevant data cube for your reference.

Note, there is a small set of supplementary tables containing information on treatment setting and length by principal drug of concern. This information is not provided in the data cubes to ensure client confidentiality.

Key findings in 2015–16

 

Agencies

  • A total of 796 publicly-funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies provided services to clients seeking treatment and support for alcohol and other drug problems, an increase of 17% over the 5-year period to 2015–16.

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Clients

  • An estimated 133,895 clients received just over 206,000 treatment episodes from alcohol and other drug treatment agencies.
  • 2 in 3 clients were male (67%), just over half were aged 20–39 (55%), and around 1 in 7 clients were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (14%).
  • The AOD client group is an ageing cohort, with a median age of 33 years in 2015–16, up from 31 in 2006–07. Since 2006–07 there has been a decline in the proportion of 20–29 year olds being treated (from 33% to 28% of treatment episodes), while the proportion of those aged 40 and over rose from 26% to 32%.
  • The proportion of episodes where clients were receiving treatment for amphetamines (23%) has continued to increase over the last 10 years, from 12% of treatment episodes in 2006–07, and from 20% in 2014–15.

Trendline shows 40% growth in closed treatment episodes from 147,325 in 2006-07 to 206,635 in 2015-16.

Treatment

  • There was an increase in the number of closed treatment episodes between 2006–07 and 2015–16, from 147,325 to 206,635—a 40% increase over the 10-year period. While for Indigenous clients the number of episodes has almost doubled, with a 90% increase over the same period (from 14,823 to 28,410).
  • In 2015–16, the top principal drugs that led clients to seek treatment were alcohol (32% of treatment episodes), amphetamines (23%), cannabis (23%) and heroin (6%).
  • Across most states and territories, alcohol was also the top principal drug of concern that led clients to seek treatment, except for SA and WA where amphetamines were the highest reported (36% and 35% of episodes) and Qld where it was cannabis (39%).
  • Treatment for the use of amphetamines increased over the 5 years to 2015–16 (from 11% of closed treatment episodes to 23%).
  • Over the 10 years since 2006–07, treatment types received by clients have not changed substantially, with counselling, assessment only, support and case management only, and withdrawal management being the most common types of treatment—this was the same for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients.

Table of contents

Data sources

The AODTS NMDS

The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS) is the primary source used in this analysis. It provides information on the treatment provided by publicly-funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies in Australia. These services are available to people seeking treatment for their own drug use and people seeking treatment for someone else’s drug use. Data are available from 2003–04 onwards.

In the AODTS NMDS, the main counting unit is a closed treatment episode, which is defined as a period of contact between a client and a treatment provider (or team of providers) that is closed when treatment is completed or has ceased, or there has been no further contact between the client and the treatment provider for 3 months. Since 2012–13, a statistical linkage key (SLK) has been collected which means the number of clients receiving treatment can now be estimated .

Other data sources

A number of other data sources include information not available in the AODTS NMDS. Using these additional data sets supports more comprehensive reporting of alcohol and other drug treatment in Australia. These include the National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data Collection (NOPSAD), the National Hospital Morbidity Database, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations: Online Services Report Database, the Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) Collection and the National Prisoner Health Data Collection (NPHDC).

In 2014–15:

In 2015, of the 1,011 prison entrants in the National Prisoner Health Collection (NPHDC), two-thirds (67%) reported using illicit drugs in the previous 12 months—1 in 2 (50%) reported using methamphetamines, and 2 in 5 (41%) cannabis.

NACCHO Aboriginal Health : Our #ACCHO Members Good News Stories from #WA #VIC #SA #NSW #QLD #NT #TAS @KenWyattMP

1.WA : South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS) WA

2.NSW : New $4.7 million Casino Djanangmum Health Clinic opens

3.SA : Clinton’s Walk For Justice arrives Adelaide  

4. ANZAC DAY Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial

5. NT Danila Dilba Darwin Health Minister visits

6.QLD :  CEO Cleveland Fagan Farewells Apunipima ACCHO

7. Victoria : VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team

8. Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre

 9.NACCHO Board meets with Minister Ken Wyatt

How to submit a NACCHO Affiliate

or Members Good News Story ? 

 Email to Colin Cowell NACCHO Media     Mobile 0401 331 251

Wednesday by 4.30 pm for publication each Thursday

1.South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS) WA

Aboriginal health workers are the latest graduates of a program which teaches them how to administer vaccinations to children, with the aim of increasing immunisation rates.

The health workers graduated after taking part in the two week course at the South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS) in Bunbury.

Source of story

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA) launched the training program in partnership with the Communicable Disease Control Directorate at the Department of Health in March 2015.

The program aims to help improve immunisation rates among Aboriginal children in WA, which are the lowest in the country.

The program has been rolled out in a number of locations around the state, and almost 30 Aboriginal Health Workers have been trained to administer and promote immunisation.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said until the program was launched, only nurses and doctors were authorised to carry out immunisations.

“The benefit of also training Aboriginal Health Workers is that they can relate to Aboriginal children and gain the trust of parents in order to educate them about the importance of immunisation,” she said.

Talicia Jetta from SWAMS said the course gave her not only practical skills, but also confidence.

“I now have the confidence to administer vaccines to our community and the knowledge to provide education to community members about the importance of vaccinating our children,” she said.

Tammy McGrath said she believed it was very important for Aboriginal health workers to have the skills to administer vaccinations.

“Because we are the first point of contact for our clients, we can promote and follow through with immunisations,” she said.

“Aboriginal people are getting the best care from Aboriginal people. Hopefully we can inspire other Aboriginal people to become health professionals too.”

A report released recently by the auditor general suggested the program had already contributed to increasing the low immunisation rates among Aboriginal children.

The report shows in the 12 months from June 2015 to June 2016, immunisation rates for Aboriginal infants in a number of regions improved by an average of 8.5 per cent.

“We are thrilled that it appears this training program has already contributed to immunisation rates among Aboriginal children increasing significantly in some areas,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“We hope that as more Aboriginal health workers are trained, the rates will go up further.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the training program would be expanded this year and she hoped it could be rolled out to several remote locations later in the year

2.Casino NSW : New $4.7 million Djanangmum Health Clinic opens

Pictured elders : Uncle Charles Moran and Uncle Harry Mundine Walker

Updated 21 April from The Echo

A Federal Government-funded $4.7 million Djanangmum Health Clinic has been officially opened to meet the primary health needs of the Indigenous community of the Richmond Valley.

Operated by the Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation, the clinic will provide primary health care services, preventative health programs, dietician/nutritionist services, child and adult dental services, mental health case management, alcohol and other drug counselling and sexual health programs.

Page MP Kevin Hogan said the new clinic would service the health needs of the Indigenous community of Casino and Richmond Valley.

‘The clinic was previously housed in rented premises that did not meet the needs of health workers or the community,’ he said.

‘This clinic will help improve the health and life expectancy, as well as early childhood health and development, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community.’

The Casino Aboriginal Health Service Aboriginal (AMS) provides a culturally appropriate health service for the Aboriginal population in Casino and surrounding communities in New South Wales.

Formally the Dharah Gibinj Medical Service, Casino AMS is limited to assisting the community in the design and implementation of health policy and comes under the auspice of Bulgarr Ngaru Aboriginal Medical Corporation.

Casino AMS provides a range of services including:

  • general practice
  • alcohol and other drugs services
  • post natal services
  • sexual health services
  • diabetes services
  • counselling
  • general primary health care

Watch television coverage here

Why a new clinic ? Read the history of the 10 year battle HERE

3.South Australia  : Clinton Walk For Justice arrives Adelaide  

Keep Clinton and the Walk For Justice Team going… All the way to Canberra!

Clinton left from Matargarup last September and has walked all the way from Perth to Uluru, and on to Adelaide see below . It’s been a long and hot walk but Clinton and the Walk For Justice Team keep pressing on.

Adelaide 24 April

Along the way the team are spending time in Aboriginal communities; meeting with elders, hearing their stories, talking with school kids and community groups.

Clinton will bring the words of these communities all the way to Canberra

Support Clinton thru Go Fund ME

 

4. South Australia ANZAC DAY Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial

5. NT Danila Dilba Darwin Health Minister visits

6.Queensland CEO Cleveland Fagan Farewells Apunipima

CEO websmall

It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that the Board of Apunipima Health Council announces Cleveland Fagan’s departure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) today.

Since 2006, Cleveland has played a pivotal role in the development and success of the organisation.

Throughout the past 11 years Cleveland through the guidance of Cape Communities, the board and his team he made many significant organisational accomplishments.

Some of these include the establishments of the foundation to community control in Cape York to five communities and the transition of four wellbeing centres from RFDS to Apunipima.

Cleveland has the led the organisation from 34 board members and 15 staff to one of the largest community controlled health organisation in Queensland with over 180 staff with 50% of our workforce identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and 30% of those are community based employees.

These are just a few of the noted accomplishments that Cleveland has made in his time.

Chair of Apunipima Cape York Health Council, Thomas Hudson shares his gratitude for Cleveland’s time, passion and commitment to see through several aspirations.

“Cleveland has poured love and passion into the organisation to nurture it to where it is today, without his commitment the people of the Cape may not have as strong a voice to what they have today, I am proud to have worked alongside him as Chair.”

Cleveland shares his parting words of guidance for the next chapter of Apunipima;

“I came to this organisation knowing of the future challenges ahead and had a clear vision on how to obtain those goals, with many accomplishments gained already this year alone, I know the passion of our board and executive team will lead the organisation to further success, I have worked with some of the most inspirational leaders across the Cape and the leaders within the four walls of this organisation, I have no doubt that Apunipima will continue to be strong advocates for the people of the Cape.

“I have a mix of emotions as I move into this next chapter of my life and career. I feel at ease knowing I have done what I came to do for our mob in Cape York, thank you to all the board and staff for supporting me on this journey.”

Apunipima cannot thank Cleveland enough for the dedication, passion, enthusiasm and motivation he has given Apunipima over the past 11 years. He will be greatly missed by the staff, Board, members and partners alike.

Working alongside the Board of Directors, Paula Arnol our Primary Health Care Executive will act in the CEO position while recruitment for a new CEO is underway. This will ensure that Apunipima will continue along this successful trajectory.

7. Victoria : VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team

Great set up and ready for a great day at Sisters Day Out.

Thanks Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria for having us!

#SistersDayOut #SistersStandStrong #VAHShlt #BeStrong #BeBrave #StaySmokeFree

8.Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre : Cultural event

Mutton Bird Feast at Piyura kitina (Risdon Cove) on Friday 5th May 2017 from 6.00 pm- 8.00 pm. LINK