Aboriginal health

Your local HealthPathways site for ACT and Southern NSW or Illawarra Shoalhaven provide information for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

You can also find more clinical supports for GPs and other health professionals under the headings below.

COVID-19

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and COVID-19 – Department of Health and Aged Care
• COVID-19 and flu Aboriginal health resources - NSW Health
• COVID-19 information for Aboriginal people – Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW
• COVID-19 resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals – Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) and partners
• Resources for Aboriginal health workers – Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI)

 Cultural awareness

• Gambay: First Languages Map – First Languages Australia
• Map of Indigenous Australia – AIATSIS
• Share Our Pride – Reconciliation Australia

Cultural healing

• National Agreement on Closing the Gap – Coalition of Peaks
• What is reconciliation? – Reconciliation Australia
• Working with the Stolen Generations: understanding trauma – Healing Foundation

Alcohol and other drugs

• Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre – Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
• Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre local services mobile app – Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Mental health

• Aboriginal children and the effects of intergenerational trauma – Emerging Minds
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project – The University of Western Australia
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention – Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia
• Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – Health to Health

Working with Aboriginal people

• Aboriginal Cultural Engagement Self-Assessment Tool – NSW Health
• Alcohol and other drugs treatment guidelines for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – in a non-Aboriginal setting – Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA)
• Supporting effective, culturally safe primary healthcare – Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
• Supporting the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at end of life – End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with chronic disease can receive help to manage ongoing chronic conditions through the Integrated Team Care (ITC) program (previously known as Care Coordination and Supplementary Services).

The ITC program provides eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients with a dedicated Care Coordinator to work closely with them, their GP, practice nurse, allied health practitioners, and specialists as part of ongoing care. They can help with:

• providing support to follow a care plan and support to work towards self-management
• arranging and attending appointments
• organising transport to attend appointments
• acquiring medication aids related to the chronic condition(s)
• helping clients understand their condition and how to manage it
• understanding medication.

Eligibility and providers of the ITC program

To be eligible for care coordination under the ITC program, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients must be enrolled for chronic disease management through a general practice or an Aboriginal Medical Service, have a GP management plan and be referred by their GP.

Integrated Team Care aims to improve care coordination and access to services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the region through our following partners:

• Grand Pacific Health (GPH)
• Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service (IAMS)
• Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services (Katungul)
• South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation (SCMSAC)
• Waminda: South Coast Women's Health & Welfare Aboriginal Corporation (Waminda) 

We partner with local organisations and support initiatives which tackle poor health outcomes and social inequalities for Aboriginal communities, as well as support general practices to facilitate better access to primary care for all Aboriginal people.

You can read our stories of success to find out more:

• Closing the Gap and driving change though creativity with Beyond Empathy
• Co-designing improvements in partnership with Aboriginal peoples
• Improving health and wellbeing in our Aboriginal community with Coomaditchie

Social and emotional wellbeing resources

• Black Rainbow specialise in suicide prevention and social outcomes for the LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation provide information and advocacy for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ+ community.
• Beyond Blue has some helpful information about depression and anxiety, and how to get help for you and your mob.
• Brother to Brother is a 24-hour hotline assisting Aboriginal men across Australia. Call 1800 435 799.
• Deadly Story has a range of tools, cultural supports and stories to help you connect with community.
• headspace's Yarn Safe program provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 12–25.
• Strong Yawa (speak / talk) is an after hours support service in the Shoalhaven region. Call 1800 953 763.
• Thirrili's National Indigenous Postvention Service supports people impacted by suicide or another traumatic incident. Call 1800 805 801.

Below is a list of some helpful organisations working in Aboriginal health which may be able to assist with education, training, and relationship-building:

• Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW
• Australian Indigenous Doctors Network
• Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association
• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
• Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATsiNAM)Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service (IAMS)
• Grand Pacific Health (GPH)
• Indigenous Allied Health Australia
• Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services (Katungul)
• Lowitja Institute
• Marathon Health
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
• National Indigenous Australians Agency 
• Reconciliation Australia
• South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation (SCMSAC)
• Waminda: South Coast Women's Health & Welfare Aboriginal Corporation (Waminda)