1.SA : Nganampa Health Service :Seven new ambulances
1.2 SA : Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia : Tackling tobacco
2. ACT Winnunga : Family-focused Justice Reinvestment trial to help reduce over-representation of Aboriginal in justice system
3.1 QLD: Deadly Choices World No Tobacco Day, 31 May
3.2 QLD Deadly Choices : Junior Murri Rugby League and Netball Carnival 2017
4.Tasmania Aboriginal Centre Launceston plans health facility improvement
5. NSW : Awabakal Health Service Newcastle Breastfeeding Workshop
6.NT Danila Dilba Flu shots
7.WA : Carnarvon Medical Service attends state Conference
8.1 VIC : Gunditjmara welcomes visionary leadership team
8.2 VIC : Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association : Healthy Lifestyle
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.SA : Nganampa Health Service :Seven new ambulances
“It will really improve the clinical staff and their ability to respond to any emergencies whether they be in between the communities, or whether it be in the communities,”
Nganampa Health Service’s executive director John Singer said staff had “made do” with the service’s current ambulance fleet.
Photo Above : South Australian Health Minister Jack Snelling and Premier Jay Weatherill at the ambulance announcement.
Photo opening : Clinic staff and government staff including John Singer (second on the left) in front of an ambulance. (ABC News: Lauren Waldhuter)
Seven new ambulances will be stationed in South Australia’s remote Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in an effort to improve the region’s health services and boost staff safety.
The $770,000 grant announcement from the State Government was made at Umuwa during a country cabinet tour of the region and more than a year after outback nurse Gayle Woodford was murdered.
The vehicles will be purpose-built for outback conditions and contain GPS trackers, two-way radios, and satellite communications.
Nganampa Health Service’s executive director John Singer said staff had “made do” with the service’s current ambulance fleet.
“It will really improve the clinical staff and their ability to respond to any emergencies whether they be in between the communities, or whether it be in the communities,” Mr Singer said.
The health service received federal funding after Ms Woodford’s death to improve security systems, which has resulted in nurses not travelling alone.
Ms Woodford was fitted with a GPS at the time of her death.
Mr Singer said the service would continue to look at security.
The service is waiting to learn if that funding will continue.
South Australian Health Minister Jack Snelling said the ambulances would be a major boost for the service.
“If someone is critically injured here on the Lands, they need an ambulance, one of the ambulance goes out to provide assistance,” Mr Snelling said.
“And often those can be quite serious illnesses and injuries, and in the past Ngnampa Health have had to get by with basically troop carriers which just have ambulance painted on the side.”
Mr Snelling called for the Federal Government to confirm funding to continue to ensure nurses were not called out alone.
“To provide an escort guarantee … and no nursing staff ever goes out unaccompanied, that has considerable resource implications for Ngnampa Health and I think it is only fair that the Federal Government support them in doing that
1.2 SA : Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia : Tackling tobacco
2. ACT Winnunga : Family-focused Justice Reinvestment trial to help reduce over-representation of Aboriginal in justice system
“I feel like, at the moment, all we do is Band-Aid .There’s too many of our people incarcerated and that’s what we are trying to prevent.”
Julie Tongs, chief executive of Winnunga Nimmityjah, said the program was badly needed in the ACT, where the number of prisoners has doubled in the past 10 years. See The Guardian Interview
The Government has partnered with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community provider Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service to develop a family-focused response to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our justice system, Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety, Shane Rattenbury announced.
Mr Rattenbury and Winnunga Nimmityjah chief executive officer Julie Tongs today launched Yarrabi Bamirr, the ACT’s first Justice Reinvestment Trial.
Yarrabi Bamirr, Ngunnawal words for Walk Tall, responds to the need for a whole of government and community service system response in addressing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system.
A collaborative partnership between Winnunga Nimmityjah and the Justice and Community Safety Directorate, the Yarrabi Bamirr trial places particular focus on families at risk, assisting them to become self-managing, healthy and safe. As part of the program, social health team workers from Winnunga Nimmityjah will work together with families to co-design unique family plans to address their goals related to matters such as housing, health, justice, education and employment. Cross-government support will then be provided to families to address identified needs.
“Justice Reinvestment is one of the ways we are striving to develop smarter, community and family-focused, inclusive and cost-effective outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” Mr Rattenbury said. “Justice Reinvestment also looks to reduce crime by diverting those at risk from the criminal justice system. The evidence shows that where justice reinvestment measures are put in place, families and the wider community benefit.”
“In establishing Yarrabi Bamirr, the Government reaffirms our commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to deliver programs that respond to the needs of communities by being inclusive, family-focused and culturally appropriate,” Mr Rattenbury said.
The Yarrabi Bamirr program has been co-designed with a range of stakeholders, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers, community groups, academics and those with lived experience of the justice system. Other agencies providing critical support to the trial include the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service and ACT Policing.
The Justice and Community Safety Directorate has also employed an Aboriginal trial coordinator to oversee the operational and evaluation requirements of the trial. The trial will also seek to build upon the successes and lessons of related programs, such as the Strengthening Families program.
Where appropriate, clients will also be provided with timely and relevant legal advice, support in dealing with statutory agencies (including Care and Protection), support prior to, during, and following the serving of a sentence, and referrals to relevant diversionary programs.
The Australian National University has also been commissioned to develop an evaluation framework to measure the trial’s success in improving life outcomes and preventing future contact with the justice system.
“The Government is committed to justice reinvestment as a way forward in addressing these very real concerns in relation to the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our criminal justice system. This work is further strengthened by our commitments in the Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement, to reduce recidivism by 25 per cent by 2025.
“Only by listening to, and working collaboratively together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, can we comprehensively address the troubling over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system,” Mr Rattenbury added.
3. QLD: Deadly Choices World No Tobacco Day, 31 May
Take the #DeadlyPlaces pledge today to make your home, car & workplace Deadly Smoke-Free Spaces #WNTD2017 #NoTobacco
Deadly Places, Smoke-Free spaces is educating community around the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke and the importance of Deadly, Smoke-Free homes, cars, and workplaces.
On World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2017, look after your family, sign the pledge, and win great prizes!
3.2 QLD Deadly Choices : Junior Murri Rugby League and Netball Carnival 2017
The Carnival is being held on the 26th – 29th of June at the University of Queensland, St Lucia campus.
Registrations are open until Friday 16th of June 2017.
Download the frequently asked questions.
Terms and Conditions
Please read prior to submitting registration
To participate in this Carnival, all Rugby League and Netball players must have proof of having received an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 715 Health Check from an Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) or GP in the past 9 months (forms will be provided).
If your child completed their health check at one of our participating clinics (through ATSICHS, MATSICHS, Yulu-Burri-Ba, Kalwun or Kambu), you won’t need to get a signed health check form, as Deadly Choices will follow up directly with the clinic. If you are registering more than one child, please register each child separately.
Register here
4.Tasmania Aboriginal Centre Launceston plans health facility improvement
New consulting rooms will create a better health facility when Launceston’s Aboriginal Centre is gutted and refurbished.
A development application has been lodged for the interior of the Charles Street centre to be stripped and rebuilt in a project expected to cost about $1 million.
The federal government has granted $500,000 towards the development.
The Launceston centre houses the Aboriginal Health Service, an Aboriginal legal service, the palawa kani language workers and Aboriginal cultural workers.
The refurbishment will include four purpose-built consulting rooms for the health service’s doctors, nurses and workers.
The rooms will also facilitate visiting physiotherapy, paediatric and psychologist clinics.
Aboriginal Health Service practice manager Lisa Coulson said the services had “outgrown the current premises”.
“Currently they [health workers] are in a very small and cramped room,” she said.
“Once the renovations are finished the health service will be more open and client friendly.”
The development will be completed in three stages and the centre will remain open during construction.
Ms Coulson said the renovations came after years of calls by the Aboriginal community for a larger, purpose-built centre.
She said it was vital to continue investment in Aboriginal health services to improve health outcomes.
Aboriginal Australians are more likely to be unemployed, die earlier and have lower numeracy and literacy rates than white Australians.
The health service will be more open and client friendly.
Ms Coulson hoped the Launceston centre’s focus on health would help improve quality of life.
“Closing the Gap programs and funding has helped that a little bit but unfortunately the data shows, if at all, it has reduced very minimally,” she said.
“I think that’s going to be an issue and support that’s needed through health programs will cross generations.
By having a larger, newer, purpose-built health service connected within a community service can only improve the health outcomes I believe.”
Ms Coulson said there was no plan to increase the number of health professionals employed at the centre but said the service would reevaluate opportunities when renovations were comple
5. NSW : Awabakal Health Service Newcastle Breastfeeding Workshop
6.NT Danila Dilba Flu shots
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can now get a free vaccination any time from your local Danila Dilba clinic:
7.WA : Carnarvon Medical Service attends state Conference
Great recap in the Mid-West Times about CMSAC members attending the state conference: From Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia – AHCWA
8.1 Vic : Gunditjmara welcomes visionary leadership team
The Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of a strengthened leadership team.
The team will implement the Board’s vision for the organisation to move into the future as a proud, strong and inclusive Aboriginal Community Controlled organisation.
Picture above : Gunditjmara smoking ceremony today celebrating new opportunities & new leadership team
Jason Kanoa, a strong and proud Guditjmara/Bunitj man will commence as CEO on 17th April.
The Chair of the Board, Billy McGuinness said …‘We have a strong future in front of us as the leadership team builds on the strengths of past and current leaders. We have full confidence the community, our partners and our stakeholders will see us evolving quickly and enhance our reputation over the coming months.
Jason has vision, lived experience and the skills we were looking for to steer the organisation into a period of reform and the opportunities this brings.’….
Jason said: …‘I’m looking forward to living on country again. I’m particularly looking forward to working with the Board and the newly formed leadership team and positioning the organisation to secure the opportunities ahead’…
The new team builds on the strengths of Glenda Thompson, Manager of Aged Care and Disabilities, and has grown to include two full-time positions which commence this week. The Board and staff welcome to the organisation: Operations Manager, John Coxon and Primary Health Care Manager, Julieanne Crow. Both John and Julieanne bring extensive experience, skills and networks to further enhance the capacity of the organisation and our staff.
The team will initially focus internally to strengthen processes to ensure robust, high quality systems are in place to ensure our reputation gains strength. Stakeholder engagement will be a high priority once this occurs.
The Interim CEO, Jill Gallagher AO said: ‘…We see a clear future of growth and strength for the organisation in the coming months. Our staff work very hard to provide the best services possible and I’m proud to have worked with them. We must be able to provide the highest quality inclusive services to our community, and we must ready ourselves for many changes coming through Government reforms. The Board, Leadership team and staff at Gunditjmara will secure that future.’
Download the full media release here. 
••••••••••••
8.2 VIC : Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association : Healthy Lifestyle
An East Gippsland Beach was turned into a film set as part of an indigenous Gippsland film production. The Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association initiative is centred around strengthening cultural ties in a bid to reduce stress