Aboriginal Action Plan 2012-2015 - Forensicare

• Because Mental Health Matters:Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy2009-2019. The strategy sets thedirection to ensure all Victorians havethe opportunities they need to maintaingood mental health while alsosupporting those with a mental illnessto access high quality, timely care andlive successfully in the community.• Justice Mental Health Strategyprovides a framework for improvingthe responsiveness and accessibilityof the justice system to those whorequire mental health supports.• Strengthening Consumer Participationin Victoria’s Public Mental HealthServices - Action Plan. Released in May2009, the plan is an important stepin providing a way forward for therespectful and meaningful engagementof consumers throughout the mentalhealth sector in Victoria.• Strategic Plan 2010-2014, VictorianInstitute of Forensic Mental Health,which provides a five year strategicdirection for our organisation and aframework for how we respond to ourinternal and external environment.• Victorian Government AboriginalInclusion Framework, November 2011,is a tool that can frame the review andreform of current practices in relation tohow Departments do business with, anddeliver services to Aboriginal people,families and communities, and soovercome systemic exclusion.• Closing the Gap on IndigenousDisadvantage, February 2009. ‘For thefirst time, the Australian Government,together with the states and territoriesthrough COAG, has set specific andambitious targets to address indigenousdisadvantage.’ Included in the six keytargets is the healthcare objective to‘close the life expectancy gap withina generation’.How We Developed theAboriginal Policy andAction Plan 2012-2015Forensicare identified the need to addressthe ‘whole of health’ needs of all ourpatients and clients, including the specificneeds of Aboriginal patients and clients,in the Strategic Plan 2010-2014. Thedevelopment of an Indigenous Action Planwas subsequently incorporated as aspecific initiative in the 2011-2012Corporate Plan.The Chief Social Worker and a Social Workertrained as an Indigenous Services Officer,together with the Clinical Director, formeda small interest group to oversee thedevelopment of the plan. Acknowledgingthat we would not be in a position todevelop and successfully implement thisplan without the engagement and ongoingsupport of the Aboriginal community, weengaged Mr Nick Orchard, a member of thelocal Aboriginal community, to assist us withthis important work.To familiarise Mr Orchard with our servicesand the needs of our aboriginal clients, hevisited several Forensicare sites andconsulted with a range of staff, patientsand clients. He arranged a meeting withthe interest group and the staff of NgwalaWillumbong, a key agency offeringspecialist alcohol and drug rehabilitationand outreach support services to theAboriginal community in Victoria (see page24 and Aboriginal Action Plan ResourceBook).The plan was developed with a view toidentifying very clear and achievableobjectives. We are mindful of the fact thatVictoria has a relatively small Aboriginalpopulation (although disproportionately highnumbers within the correctional and mentalhealth systems) and did not want to havethese objectives ‘lost’ within mainstreamconcerns.A significant element of the plan has beenidentifying the need for Forensicare toestablish an Aboriginal Action PlanReference Group, consisting of staff andseveral members from the local Aboriginalcommunity. We are very grateful to MrOrchard for his efforts to engage theserespected community representatives. TheReference Group, which will report to theExecutive of Forensicare through theClinical Director, will have responsibility forthe oversight of the implementation of theAction Plan.Background to AboriginalForensic Mental HealthVictoria’s Aboriginal PopulationAboriginal people have lived in Victoriafor at least 40,000 years, and despitedramatic changes of climate andenvironment Aboriginal culture survivedand responded dynamically to each newchallenge.Victoria’s Aboriginal people developedcomplex traditional cultures. Prior tocolonisation there were approximately 36different languages spoken in Victoria, andAboriginal people were capable of fluentlyspeaking five or more languages. Sincecolonisation, more than three quarters ofthe original languages have already beenlost.Past government policy and practice,particularly relating to AboriginalAustralians’ disconnection from traditionallands and the removal of children fromtheir families, has had a profound influenceon the health, wellbeing and attitudes ofVictoria’s contemporary Aboriginalcommunity.Today Aboriginal people have higher ratesof hypertension, heart disease, respiratoryailments, stroke, diabetes, cancer andrenal failure. Mental health, drugdependence, violence and other indicatorsof social marginalisation and culturaldisintegration are also of great concern.4Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Action Plan 2012-2015