Indigenous Chronic Disease Package
Current situation
The first Aboriginal community controlled health service was established in Redfern (NSW) in 1971. Today, there are more than 170 Aboriginal community controlled health services funded by the Australian Government. These services deliver a range of preventive and primary health care, substance use, and social and emotional wellbeing programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
To close the gap in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, it is essential that comprehensive and accessible primary health care is provided not only by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, but also all Indigenous Health Services1 and by mainstream health services.
1 For the purpose of this booklet, an Indigenous Health Service is a practice, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, Aboriginal Medical Service or a clinic providing primary care services to a predominantly Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population.