Evaluation of the Bringing them home and Indigenous mental health programs
1.2 The BTH and Indigenous Mental Health Programs
Table of contents
- Acknowledgements
- Study Team
- Glossary
- Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. Methodology- 3 Overview of the four programs
- 4 Literature review
- 5 Key outcomes and achievements of the programs
- 6 Key limitations of the programs
- 7 Management and administrative issues
- 8. Workforce issues
- 9. Issues related to the four programs
- 10. Likely future demand
- 11. Conclusions and suggested future directions
- Appendix A: Stakeholders consulted
- Appendix B: Literature review
- References
The evaluation covered four programs funded by OATSIH. The roles of these services are set out in more detail in chapter 3, but in summary these are as follows.
- The Link-Up Program, formally known as the Access to Effective Family Tracing and Reunion Services Program. This program provides a national network of services supporting and assisting Indigenous people affected by past removal policies in tracing their genealogy and family history and potentially reuniting them with their families. In 2006-2007 there are 11 Link-Up services funded around Australia.
- The BTH Program, which provides funding for 106.5 BTH Counsellor positions (in 2006-2007) in 73 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) around Australia to provide counselling to individuals, families and communities affected by past practices regarding the forced removal of children from Aboriginal families. These Counsellors respond to the needs of a broad range of clients, including those removed, those who were left behind, and the children, grandchildren and relatives of all those affected by separation practices. Because the trans-generational effects of separation practices are widespread (see Chapter 4 and Appendix B) and caused emotional harm throughout families and across generations, entire Aboriginal communities are potentially in need of counselling around the effects of past removal policies, BTH and SEWB issues.
- The SEWB RC Program. The role of the 14 Centres funded around Australia is to provide professional support to Link-Up and BTH staff as well as other workers (especially mental health workers), developing, delivering and purchasing training, and conducting activities to support this including developing cross-sector linkages and maintaining information systems.
- The Mental Health Program funds 19 Mental Health Service Delivery Projects in ACCHSs nationally to develop and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to mental health service delivery. The projects are intended for all Aboriginal people, rather than only those affected by past removal policies.
[The] Aboriginal concept of health is holistic, encompassing mental health and physical, cultural, and spiritual health. Land is central to well-being. This holistic concept does not merely refer to the ‘whole body’ but in fact is steeped in the harmonised inter-relations which constitute cultural well-being. These inter-relating factors can be categorised as spiritual, environmental, ideological, political, social, economic, mental and physical. Crucially, it must be understood that when the harmony of these inter-relations is disrupted, Aboriginal ill health will persist.