Manual of Resources for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention

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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This evaluation framework is based on the principles described in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP). It is designed to evaluate suicide prevention activities that are already underway, and to provide guidance around evaluation while in the planning stages. Note: This 2017 resource is under review Source: Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention

Nathan Sutherland - one of only two hundred psychologists in Australia who identify as Aboriginal - talks about how to seek support from friends, family, community and healthcare professionals. Source: Desert Pea Media/WNSWPHN

This fact sheet aims to increase understanding of loneliness, its signs, and to suggest coping strategies using the strengths from within our culture and community that can protect us against loneliness. Source: 13YARN

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy

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

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

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

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

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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Cultural Respect Framework 2016-2026 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

The RANZCP’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Committee includes Indigenous psychiatrists, non-Indigenous psychiatrists who work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, and Indigenous community members who work in mental health service provision and policy development.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy

AIPA provides leadership on issues related to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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.

The Australian Association of Social Workers has not published any recent policy or position papers specifically related to Indigenous wellbeing, but the needs of Aboriginal people feature prominently in many of its broader platforms.

Coroner's Court Resources

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