Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

When we began [in 1991], we were seeing 300 people per month, now we are seeingapproximately 1,100 per month to 1,400 per month. The longer our Service is in operation themore needs are demanded by our community and identified by us (submission 537 page 1).TasmaniaThe Tasmanian Government informed the Inquiry that Indigenous mental health hadnot been researched for its submission or evidence. The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centreadvised that ‘[t]here are no counselling services available to deal specifically withAboriginal families affected by separation’ (submission 325 page 8).ACTThe ACT’s mental health services strategic plan dated December 1993 identified‘Aboriginals’ as a special needs group but made no mention of culturally appropriateservice development or delivery (ACT Health 1993 page 29). However in 1996 a reviewof Indigenous people’s needs and an evaluation of services was undertaken (ACTGovernment interim submission page 23).The Inquiry was told of a training program for Aboriginal mental health workers atthe Queanbeyan Mental Health Service but no details were provided (ACT Governmentinterim submission page 28).Evaluation – government objectivesAll Australian governments have endorsed the 1990 National Aboriginal HealthStrategy and have affirmed their endorsement by approving Recommendation 271 of theRoyal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody which regards implementation ofthe Strategy as ‘crucial’. Pursuant to the Strategy the Commonwealth commissioned anational consultancy report. Its submission to the Inquiry adopted the report WaysForward as a baseline document to be used when planning and delivering services,developing policy, developing education and training programs and developing datacollection and research priorities’ (Commonwealth Government submission page 14).The Commonwealth relies on the report’s principles in negotiating Commonwealth-State funding agreements on Indigenous health (Commonwealth Government submissionpage 15). The Queensland Government advised that the report ‘was used as a guide fordevelopment of the Queensland Mental Health Policy Statement for Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander People’ (final submission page 16). The NSW Government advisedthat ‘NSW Health supports the aims and recommendations of Ways Forward and hasincorporated them in the draft NSW Aboriginal Mental Health Policy/Strategy document’(final submission page 16). The Inquiry endorses Ways Forward as setting out the broadobjectives for all governments in the area of Indigenous mental health.The Commonwealth Government identified three guiding principles (submissionpage 14). Indigenous mental health services should,• be based on a mental health promotion and prevention model,• emphasise the primacy of Indigenous empowerment and self-determination, and