Our work related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

This program funds Primary Health Networks to engage culturally appropriate mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Trachoma still occurs in some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We work with the affected states and territories to identify, treat and prevent this condition. We also report to the World Health Organization’s program to eradicate trachoma across the world.

We provide core funding for the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. It provides the evidence base to inform practice and policy in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health by making research and other knowledge readily accessible.

The Australian Nurse–Family Partnership Program supports women who are pregnant with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander baby to help them become the best mum possible. Nurses make home visits to provide guidance during early pregnancy, the baby's infancy and into toddlerhood.

The Care for Kids’ Ears program helps families, educators and health professionals recognise and prevent ear disease in First Nations children. Order or download Care for Kids’ Ears resources for free. The site is managed by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).

Connected Beginnings prepares Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children for school. The program supports both children from birth to school age and pregnant women. It aims to close the gap in school readiness and education outcomes between First Nations children and non-Indigenous children.

The Elder Care Support program will build a workforce to help older First Nations people, their families and carers, to access aged care services to meet their physical and cultural needs.

The First Nations Health Funding Transition Program (FNHFTP) supports our efforts in improving health outcomes for First Nations peoples.

This program supports up to 500 First Nations students to undertake accredited training in the health sector. We fund the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) to deliver the program.

The Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP) funds high-quality health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It funds Indigenous-led, culturally appropriate initiatives to increase access to health care and improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Indigenous Health Research Fund is investing $160 million in Indigenous-led research to tackle health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live with complex chronic conditions. It often provides one-on-one support to help people manage their conditions and get the health care they need. It also helps health services provide culturally appropriate care.

The Australian Government is investing in a multi-year Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study (IHMHS). The IHMHS will provide the most complete picture ever collected of Australia's physical and mental health.

This program helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have chronic conditions to access health care. It does this by covering some costs – like travel and accommodation – for health professionals who provide the outreach services.

We fund this program to provide culturally appropriate aged care to older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The service providers in this program deliver a mix of aged care services, mainly in rural and remote areas.

This pilot program aimed to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to do the bowel screening test. It provided resources for families and communities, and primary health care professionals participating in the pilot program.

The Practice Incentives Program – Indigenous Health Incentive (PIP IHI) provides payments to health services to provide better care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with a chronic disease.

The Primary Health Care Activity initiative provides grants for health providers to deliver culturally appropriate primary health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The QAAMS program provides rapid, on-site diabetes testing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in rural and remote locations. These tests provide a result in 6 minutes, meaning patients can receive their results during the same appointment.

This program provides free Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines to patients of Aboriginal health services in remote areas. It operates under section 100 of the National Health Act 1953.

The Remote Area Health Corps funds health professionals to practise in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory for short-term paid placements of 3 to 12 weeks. This includes general practitioners, registered nurses, dentists, dental therapists, dental assistants and audiologists.

We commissioned a review of sector funding arrangements and service provider capability for First Nations mental health and suicide prevention services and the Integrated Team Care program.

We have implemented several initiatives based on recommendations from the Roadmap for Hearing Health. These were designed to raise awareness, build our evidence base, improve ear health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, and improve hearing support among older Australians.

The RHMT program offers health students the opportunity to train in rural and remote communities via a network of training facilities. It aims to improve the recruitment and retention of medical, nursing, dental and allied health professionals in rural and remote Australia.