1. National : 2017 NACCHO Members’ Conference and AGM Registrations : Only 21 days to go
2.1 Congress Alice Springs Breast Cancer Awareness Month #Deadly Choices
2.2 CONGRESS IS NOW VACCINATING AGAINST THE MENINGOCOCCAL OUTBREAK
3. Vic : VACCHO, VAHS ,BADAC and Quit Victoria proud to partner with the Ballarat Carnival to provide a healthy and smoke free environment
4. NSW : Armajun Aboriginal Health Service Indigenous students at Guyra Central School are looking good in new glasses.
5. WA : AHCWA : Mental Health Week has an Aboriginal focus for the first time
6. QLD : Deadly Choices /Deadly Roos ambassador, Greg Inglis making healthy choices
7. SA : Major auction Art Fair to raise funds for dialysis centre in Ernabella SA.
8. TAS : FIAAI ‘No Smokes No Limits’ Public Health Campaign Launched
9. View hundreds of ACCHO Deadly Good News Stories over past 5 years
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
1.1 National : 2017 NACCHO Members’ Conference and AGM Registrations : Only 21 days to go
On Tuesday 10 October there was only 21 days to go and due to high demand the conference AGM is nearly booked out
This is an opportunity to show case grass roots best practice at the Aboriginal Community Controlled service delivery level.
In doing so honouring the theme of this year’s NACCHO Members’ Conference ‘Our Health Counts: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’.
2.1 Congress Alice Springs Breast Cancer Awareness Month #Deadly Choices
Congress is offering the first 200 eligible* Aboriginal women that have a women’s health check or cervical screen at any Congress Clinic, or a mammogram at Breast Screening NT an exclusive Deadly Choices Breast Cancer Shirt.
To find out if you’re eligible and to book an appointment, call (08) 89514 400 or your local Congress clinic today.*To be eligible you must an Aboriginal congress client and due for a mammogram, cervical or women’s health check during the promotion period. Pink ribbon shirts are strictly limited and will be substituted for available health check initiative deadly choices shirts when stock runs out.
Congress encourages all Aboriginal people aged between 12 months and 19 years to attend your nearest Congress clinic to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease.
While meningococcal disease is rare, it can be life threatening.
No appointment is needed.
3. Vic : VACCHO, VAHS ,BADAC and Quit Victoria proud to partner with the Ballarat Carnival to provide a healthy and smoke free environment
“The Vic NAIDOC Committee and the Ballarat Carnival Committee are proud to announce that this year’s Carnival will be completely Smoke Free!
VACCHO, VAHS and Quit Victoria are proud to partner with the Carnival to provide a healthy and smoke free environment for the whole Community.
We believe in creating a space where everyone can breathe fresh air and celebrate coming together for such a brilliant event. Call the Aboriginal Quitline (13 QUIT – 13 78 48) for tips and support on how you can go smoke free too.
P.s. Look out for Deadly Dan, the No Smokes Man at the Carnival on Saturday. He’ll be stoked to hear the news!”
#vicnaidoc #alwaysproudball2017 #smokefree #smokefreezone #vaccho #vahs #quitvictoria #BADAC
Sponsors
On behalf of Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-operative and the Carnival Committee, we would like to say a HUGE thank you to the following or…ganisations for their generous support. Without you, the carnival would not be possible.
Victorian Naidoc
Wadawurrung – Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation
VicHealth
Ballarat Council
FedUni Aboriginal Education Centre
Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
Aboriginal Victoria
Department of Health & Human Services, Victoria
@victorian aboriginal justice agreement
Oxfam
Ballarat Koorie Engagement Action Group – KEAG
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc
Woolworths
Central Highlands Water
AFL Victoria
AFL Goldfields
Netball Victoria
Quit Victoria
Pitcha Makin Fellas
AIME
Basketball Ballarat
Lake Wendouree Football Netball Club
The North Ballarat Sports Club
Hands On Health Australia
RMIT University
Victoria University, Melbourne Australia
We are really looking forward to delivering the 2017 carnival with you!
4. NSW : Armajun Aboriginal Health Service Indigenous students at Guyra Central School are looking good in new glasses.
Thanks to a visit from the Brien Holden Vision Institute eye clinic, Ethan Harris and Nioka Levy no longer need to sit at the front of the class.
A number of students had their eyes examined by a visiting optometrist.
The eye doctor attended the school for eye checks in late August.
The clinic is part of Armajun Aboriginal Health Service.
It’s ran and organised by Aboriginal Education officer Alecia Blair and Guyra Central School health officer Nellie Blair.Some eye problems are more common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than they are with non-Indigenous people.
Read all NACCHO 44 Aboriginal Eye Health stories here
5. WA : AHCWA : Mental Health Week has an Aboriginal focus for the first time
Aboriginal Health Council of WA chairwoman Michelle Nelson-Cox said it was an “absolute tragedy” that suicide was one of the leading causes of death among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“The death of even one of our young people to suicide is not acceptable,” she said.
AHCWA believes there needs to be a greater focus on increasing and improving access to culturally appropriate and locally responsive suicide prevention programs for Aboriginal youth in WA.
WA Mental Health Week has an Aboriginal focus for the first time this year, with a complementary theme recognising the importance of country.
Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to take their own lives as non-indigenous Australians, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Causes of Death 2016 report released last month.
Suicide was the fifth-leading cause of death for indigenous Australians, compared to the 15th for non-indigenous Australians, with suicide deaths accounting for a greater proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths (5.5 per cent), compared to non-indigenous Australians (1.7 per cent).
In its 50th year, WA Mental Health Week has added a complementary Aboriginal theme to its main theme — “connect with country, community and you for strong social and emotional wellbeing”.
Goldfields elder Trevor Donaldson said he was especially concerned about the high rate of youth suicide among Aboriginal people.
He said he felt many of the services previously offered had done nothing to help.
“I think the government should be held accountable for every one of those deaths because they deliver so little, ” he said.
“Aboriginal youth have nothing here in the Goldfields. The system is failing our youth, education is failing our youth.
“And I feel frustrated because I know what is going to happen — there is going to be another tragedy and ministers from left, right and centre will be coming here to supposedly deal with it and nothing will change.”
Suicide was the second leading cause of death after transport accidents among the Goldfields’ 15-24-year-olds, according to a 2015 Goldfields Health Profile by the Planning and Evaluation Unit.
NACCHO Aboriginal #MentalHealthDay : Australia’s new digital #mentalhealth gateway now live
6. QLD : Deadly Choices /Deadly Roos ambassador, Greg Inglis making healthy choices
Hear what Deadly Roos ambassador, Greg Inglis has to say about the Deadly Roos and making healthy choices. #DeadlyChoices #DeadlyRoos #RISE Ken Wyatt
See NACCHO Background story
“Deadly Choices is what I like to call a ‘jewel in the crown’ of Indigenous health, achieving some stunning results since it kicked off in South East Queensland four years ago.
The Deadly Kangaroos is an expansion of this program, using the star power of the ambassadors and the excitement of this year’s World Cup to reach more even communities.
Our national rugby league stars need to be in peak physical condition to play at the top of their game and we appreciate the players’ support to start discussions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about ways to improve their health “
Minister for Indigenous Health, Ken Wyatt AM, said legendary Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and other Indigenous and non-Indigenous players would become ambassadors for the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health’s Deadly Choices program, to extend its reach across Australia.
The launch in Canberra was attended by the NACCHO Chair Matthew Cooke (pictured on right )
Members of the elite Australian Kangaroos Rugby League 2017 World Cup squad will headline the expansion of a successful grassroots campaign to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Deadly Choices is a community-based health lifestyle campaign launched in 2013.
There is particular focus on young people and the importance of exercise, education, school attendance, quitting smoking and regular preventive health checks.
Through media campaigns, sports carnivals and community events it has prompted:
-
- Almost 19,000 annual health checkups in South East Queensland
- Active patient numbers to triple to over 330,000
- 1,155 smoke-free household pledges
- More than 3,300 smoker interventions
“Experience shows that sport and sporting legends can help communities kick major goals in health awareness and foster real change,” the Minister said.
“I encourage everyone to support Australia in the World Cup in October, just as the Kangaroos are supporting better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and all Australians.”
The ambassadors will make appearances at game day events as the Australian team travels through the ACT, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and regional Queensland for the World Cup.
“Key ambassadors for the Deadly Kangaroos are Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis,” the Minister said. “Also, the best three players from the national men’s and women’s teams at the Arthur Beetson Deadly Choices Murri Rugby League carnival will also be chosen as community ambassadors to promote positive health messages.
“Merchandise, including a special Deadly Kangaroos World Cup jersey, has been produced as an incentive for people to have a health check.
“The messages will also be promoted through television, radio, social media and at coaching clinics and Aboriginal community controlled health services.”
The Australian Government is contributing $235,000 to help support the Deadly Kangaroos campaign
The Rugby League World Cup runs from 26 October – 2 December 2017.
7. SA : Major auction Art Fair to raise funds for dialysis centre in Ernabella SA.
The Purple Hose is hosting major auction Art Fair to raise funds for dialysis centre in Ernabella SA.
An increasing number of Anangu are forced to leave their homes and families for renal dialysis treatment. Purple House is holding this major auction to raise funds to secure a Pukatja Dialysis Centre in Ernabella, South Australia.
Works of art have been donated by artists from all of the seven art centres from the APY Art Centre Collective. Works available include paintings, ceramics, work on paper, wood carving, photography and printmaking. Don’t miss this opportunity to add to your collection while making a lasting difference to communities in the APY Lands.
8. TAS : FIAAI ‘No Smokes No Limits’ Public Health Campaign Launched
Flinders Island Aboriginal Association’s Tackling Smoking Program has recently launched their latest ‘No Smokes No Limits’ public health campaign with billboards being revealed across Tasmania. These billboards feature motocross imagery and Aboriginal ambassadors Jay and Josh Woolley from WSM Freestyle.
As part of this campaign, smokers are encouraged to contact their local health service, general practice or the Quitline for assistance in giving up the habit. This campaign seeks to denormalise smoking, and is in stark contrast to some of the messaging typically associated with extreme sports that are often sponsored by energy drinks or other consumables associated with poor health outcomes.
FIAAI CEO Maxine Roughley said “This program especially targets young people who are our future and we are proud to be supporting such an important health issue.”
FIAAI will be looking to expand this campaign to buses and other mediums in the future, with billboards currently being found in several parts of the state including Hobart, Launceston, East Devonport, Burnie and others. FIAAI will also be presenting at the upcoming Oceania Tobacco Control Conference (October 17-19) regarding this campaign.
The FIAAI Tackling Smoking Team can be contacted on 6334 5721 for more information.
-ENDS