Clinicians & Front-line Workers
Resources for Clinicians & Front-line Workforces
Clinicians, including psychologists, psychiatrists, emergency medicine specialists, GPs and nurses, have important roles to play in supporting the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and in preventing suicide.
Other front-line workers who provide services to Indigenous people can also make essential contributions. Social workers, youth workers, and any staff who support community programs and services, need to understand how Indigenous people may exhibit distress and how to respond to individuals, families and whole communities.
For some professionals, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s mental health and social and emotional wellbeing will be part of their education, training and supervision. For many others, their development in these domains will occur in the workplace, with limited formal oversight.
All workforces need to understand how to work with Indigenous people in a culturally responsive and safe way that supports positive and trusting relationships.
This section of the Manual includes resources that apply in all these situations.
Resources
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Human Services Standards Evidence Guide
Jenny Molyneux provides mental health counselling to four remote NSW communities. She talks about the importance of building trust and relationships, meeting people in their own communities, and committing to being there for the long term. Source: Desert Pea Media/WNSWPHN
Video discussion of how to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people involved in the criminal justice system, based on the Journey Home program from Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) in South Australia, featuring: - Jamie Sorby – Kamileroi woman, Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing worker - Sharmaine Williams – Bidjara Gunggari woman, Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing worker - Curtis Falla – Kaurna Narungga man, Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing worker - Marshall Watson – Noongar man, Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatrist Source: Orygen Youth Health
This clinical protocol aims to reduce deliberate self-harm and suicidal behaviour by ensuring that people at risk are able to access consistent levels of support across the Kimberley, including: Appropriate screening and assessment Effective follow-up and safety planning. The protocol recognises the role in suicide and self-harm of historical and current trauma, grief and loss, racism, child abuse and neglect, cultural breakdown, family and domestic violence, homelessness, poverty and sexual assault. It provides additional guidance on drug or alcohol dependence, acknowledging the complexities of supporting Indigenous people who experience these issues after an episode of self-harm. Source: Kimberley Aboriginal Health Planning Forum
A series of conversations about promoting social and emotional wellbeing and preventing suicides in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, recorded by Luke Pearson from Indigenous X and featuring: Dr Jackie Huggins AM, Co-chair of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, Birri-Gubba Juru and Bidjara woman from Queensland Aunty Lorraine Peeters, Managing Director and Facilitator of Winangali-Marumali from the Gamilaroi and Wailwun Nations Richard Weston, former CEO of the Healing Foundation, descendant from Meriam People of Torres Strait Source: Everymind
1.5 hour e-learning course designed to assist non-Aboriginal practitioners to develop the skills and understanding to build genuine partnerships with First Nations children, families and communities. Source: Emerging Minds
Contracting for Indigenous Health Care: Towards Mutual Accountability
Krista, a mum and active community member, talks about how parents can advocate and seek help for a child who is struggling. Source: Desert Pea Media/WNSWPHN
Policies & Position Statements
From Clinical and Peak Groups
This section of the Manual outlines the policies and positions of key groups in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s mental health and social and emotional wellbeing, highlights the commitments of these groups to improving outcomes for Indigenous people, and describes the expectations on their members.
Professional bodies and sector peak organisations have a strong influence on how their members practise. This is true at an individual level, in terms of professional standards and continuing professional development. It also applies at an organisational level, as service providers influence and are influenced by the collective decisions of peak groups.
Australia has multiple Indigenous organisations which focus holistically on the health, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and/or on the education and employment of Indigenous people in health professions.
Mainstream clinical professional representative organisations may be less focused on and/or less capable in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The intersection between clinical and cultural support may sometimes be a particular challenge for mainstream clinicians.
Published policies and positions with regard to the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from both groups are summarised here.
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Implementing Integrated Suicide Prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities
The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions including the forced removal of children from their families.
The Coalition of Peaks is made up of more than 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak and member organisations across Australia that have come together as an act of self-determination to work with Australian governments on a new National Agreement on Closing the Gap, agreed in 2020.
AIPA provides leadership on issues related to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Guidelines for Best Practice Psychosocial Assessment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Presenting to Hospital with Self-harm and Suicidal Thoughts
Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention leadership body. It is governed and controlled by Indigenous experts and peak bodies working in these areas, promoting collective excellence in mental health care.
CATSINaM is the peak advocacy body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives in Australia.
IAHA is a national, member-based organisation that leads sector workforce development and support, to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Coroner's Court Resources
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