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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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy
This factsheet highlights some key considerations when providing culturally secure and effective alcohol and other drug treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Source: Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre
A series of resources that adapt the Mental Health First Aid guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people, including guidelines on: Depression Psychosis suicidal thoughts, behaviour and self-harm trauma and loss alcohol and drug use culturally appropriate communication Source: Mental Health First Aid
This 1.5 hour webinar brought together young people and experts to discuss lived experience of Intergenerational Trauma and strategies for creating positive intergenerational change. Speakers include: Professor Helen Milroy, a leader in Indigenous mental health and trauma Tonii Skeen, youth advocate Karlie Stewart, youth advocate · Joel Wenitong, community mentor
iBobbly is a social and emotional wellbeing self-help app for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over. Using iBobbly for six weeks has been shown to reduce depression, distress and suicidal thinking. Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and co-designed with young people in the Kimberley, the app helps people to recognise troubling thoughts and responses, and apply more positive thinking and behaviours. Source: Black Dog Institute
This short resource describes basic cultural competencies for clinical staff to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families. Source: Queensland Government
This strengths based mental health and wellbeing tool aims to improve culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by offering a holistic, person-centred approach to having a yarn about wellbeing. It is aimed at strengthening connections, goal setting and self-management of mental wellbeing. The interactive tool allows users to select different options or to write down: the people that keep them strong the strengths in their life the worries that can take their strength away the goals that can make change. Abstract adapted from Menzies School of Health Research Source: Menzies School of Health Research
CBPATSISP Tools & Checklists This link takes you to listings of clinical tools and checklists on the main CBPATSISP website, with separate sections for: - Social and emotional wellbeing assessment - Mental health outcome measures - Stress and trauma assessment - Youth Assessment - Suicide risk assessment - Perinatal mental health assessment
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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Coroner's Court Resources
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