Healthy For Life

Providing improved services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For you, your baby, your family and your community.

Healthy for Life and New Directions Mothers and Babies Services

Due to the potential for conference delegates to come into contact with the H1N1 virus and the risk this could pose to their local communities upon their return home, the Department of Health and Ageing has postponed the conference that was to be held between 10 - 12 June 2009. New conference arrangements will be posted on this website as soon as possible

Healthy for Life and New Directions Mothers and Babies Services Health Awards

The Department of Health and Ageing nominations for the Inaugural Healthy for Life and New Directions Mothers and Babies Services Health Awards have closed.

The awards highlight innovation and leadership being demonstrated by organisations and individuals in closing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy gap within a generation and halving the mortality gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under five within a decade. The two award categories are: Individual Contribution to Closing the Gap, and Organisational Contribution to Closing the Gap. Employees and organisations currently funded by the Healthy for Life program and New Directions Mothers and Babies Services are eligible for these awards. The awards will be announced and presented in the near future.

What’s new in Healthy for Life?

Men's health one-off funding

Funding has been approved for 16 existing Round 1 and Round 2 Healthy for Life services to develop and implement new and additional services, projects or activities aimed at improving men's health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The funding has been provided for set-up, implementation, service delivery and reporting costs. Continuation of men's health activities beyond December 2009 will be met from within the Services' existing Healthy for Life recurrent funding.

New Maternal and Child Health Clinical Audit Tools and Systems Assessment Tool

A Maternal Child Health Clinical Audit and Systems Assessment tool has been developed by Menzies School of Health Research for the Healthy for Life program. The tools are available here.

What is Healthy for Life?

Healthy for Life is an Australian Government program, announced in the 2005-06 Budget, which provides funds to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers, babies and children. It also aims to improve the quality of life for people with a chronic condition and, over time, reduce the incidence of adult chronic disease. Following a decision by Minister Roxon in July 2008, men’s health can now be included in new Healthy For Life services from Round 3.

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