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Closing the Gap: Northern Territory

Closing the Gap: Northern Territory (previously Northern Territory Emergency Response)

An overview of the progress of initiatives under the Closing the Gap Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement.

In this section:

• Closing the Gap –Northern Territory- aims and health programs
• Evaluation of the Child Health Check Initiative and Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative
• Progress Reports on data collected through these programs including the Dental Health of Indigenous Children in the Northern Territory, and Ear and Hearing Health of Indigenous Children in the Northern Territory
• Mobile Outreach Service Plus responses to child abuse.
• Review of the Alcohol and Other Drug Service Components of the Northern Territory Emergency Response – Final Report

Closing the Gap – Northern Territory- aims and health programs

The Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) was announced by the previous Australian Government in June 2007 in response to reports of abuse and neglect of children outlined in the Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle “Little Children are Sacred” report.

In 2009, the Prime Minister and Northern Territory Chief Minister signed the Closing the Gap Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement which committed both governments to build on and enhance core NTER measures in order to:

• Ensure the protection of women and children;
• Reduce violence and improve family and community safety including through restrictions of alcohol and pornography, enhancing compliance and community education;
• Improve the quality of education, increase school participation and employment outcomes;
• Improve health and wellbeing, particularly that of children;
• Promote positive behaviours among Indigenous youth; and
• Promote personal responsibility.

Health Measures

Under the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement and the related Federal Budget measure Closing the Gap –Northern Territory -health and related measures, the following programs are funded:

• The Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) which aims to strengthen and increase the delivery of primary health care services in remote Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory.
• Ear, nose and throat care and management follow-up services identified through the NTER Child Health Checks. This was completed in December 2010.
• Dental follow-up services identified through the NTER Child Health Checks. These services will continue for three years (2009-2012).
• Drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation services commenced in 2007-08 and continuing until 2012.
• Mobile Outreach Service Plus which provides counselling services for children, families and communities affected by the trauma associated with abuse and neglect.

Evaluation of Child Health Check Initiative and the Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative

An independent evaluation of the Child Health Check Initiative and the Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative commenced in June 2009 and the reports of that evaluation are now available:

The evaluation of the Child Health Check Initiative and the Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative - Summary Report

The evaluation of the Child Health Check Initiative and the Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative – Final Report

Evaluation of the Child Health Check Initiative and Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative - Evaluation Design Report

If you are having trouble downloading the document please email OATSIH enquiries or phone 02 6289 5291. Further information about the evaluation is available at allenandclarke.co.nz
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Progress Reports on data collected through these programs including the Dental Health of Northern Territory Indigenous Children.

Ear and Hearing Health of Indigenous Children in the Northern Territory.

The Ear and Hearing health of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory – Findings from the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory Ears, Nose and Throat and Audiology (PDF 313 KB) program is available as a pdf. This report provides information on the amount and type of Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) and audiology services provided, the extent of follow-up care provided to children with ENT and audiology referrals, and the ear disease and hearing status of children who received ENT and audiology services from August 2007 to May 2011.

Dental Health of Indigenous Children in the Northern Territory

The Dental Health of Indigenous Children in the Northern Territory – Findings from the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory Dental program is available as a pdf and html. This report provides information on the amount and type of dental services provided, the extent of follow-up care provided to children with dental referrals and oral health status of children who received dental service from August 2007 to June 2010.

Final Report on the Child Health Check Initiative and Follow-up data collections

The Northern Territory Emergency Response Child Health Check Initiative: Third and Final report on the Child Health Check and follow-up data collections is available here. This report shows a continuing transition over the period since December 2008 from a focus on Child Health Checks to a sustained focus on increased service delivery in response to referrals from those checks and the pre-existing unmet need for services. It also includes information from the Northern Territory Government Department of Health and Families health data warehouse on hospital services provided to children who had a Child Health Check.

Progress Reports of the Child Health Check Initiative and Follow-up data collections

The Progress of the Northern Territory Emergency Response Child Health Check Initiative: Preliminary Results from the Child Health Check and Follow-up data collections is available here and provides information on the number and types of health conditions identified and the number and types of referrals made as part of the child health checks. It also includes results from the follow-up Child Health Check Initiative data collections, the purpose of which is to measure the extent to which children who had a child health check have received the follow-up care that they need. The checks analysed for this report were undertaken from July 2007 to October 2008.

The Progress of the Northern Territory Emergency Response Child Health Check Initiative: Health Conditions and Referrals is available here and provides information on the number and types of health conditions identified and the number and types of referrals made as part of the child health checks. The checks analysed for this report were undertaken from July 2007 to May 2008.
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The Mobile Outreach Service Plus

Department of Health and Ageing funding of $15.6 million over four years to 2011-12 has been provided for the NT Department of Health and Families to deliver the NT Mobile Outreach Service Plus (MOS Plus), and for related services. MOS Plus provides equitable access to timely, culturally safe responses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, adolescents and their families living in remote communities of the Northern Territory affected by trauma associated with any form of child abuse and neglect, including sexual assault. Funding also includes the provision of increased access to remote forensic sexual assault medical examinations and access to continued workforce development for the remote NT health and community service sectors.

Evaluation of the Mobile Outreach Service Plus

An independent evaluation of the NT MOS Plus commenced on 30 June 2010. The evaluation will assess the impact of the service, and outcomes for Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander children and young people in their families and communities. A Final Evaluation Report is expected to be provided to the Department on the 30 July 2011.

Review of the Alcohol and Other Drug Service Components of the Northern Territory Emergency Response - Final Report

In August 2008, Origin consulting and Bowchung consulting were commissioned by the Department of Health and Ageing to undertake an independent evaluation of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Service Component of the Northern Territory Emergency Response.

This report was completed in 2010 and is now available:
Review of the Alcohol and Other Drug Service Components of the Northern Territory Emergency Response - Final Report Evaluation

Enquiries: Please email oatsih.enquiries@health.gov.au or phone 02 6289 5291.
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