be developed to complement the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Health Plan being released in July 2015; and Implementation Plan be coordinated with the implementation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait and the (2013), Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy National Aboriginal and Torres Strait as well as mainstream mental health policy. Islander Drug Strategy 2014-2019 Peoples’ A unique window of opportunity Currently there is a unique window of opportunity for the development of such a plan. The table below lists five strategic responses within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health area, or that are associated with mental health in a significant way. Against each is an indication of the stage of development and implementation at time of writing. Strategic response Status The renewal of the Expected to be completed in 2015 National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Social Peoples’ and Emotional Wellbeing. Completed in 2013 but not yet implemented. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy To report in 2015 - the implementation of the The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project is to be informed Suicide Prevention Strategy by the findings of the project. Expected to be completed in 2015 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Drug Strategy General population mental health planning To be renewed probably following the including the Australian to the National Mental Health Plan Government’s response (2009 14) that includes planning for National Mental Health – Commission’s mainstream mental health services that National Review of Mental Health Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples expected in early 2015. Programmes use. All five strategic documents or projects are either in a late-development or pending implementation stage. Because of this, the Australian Government now enjoy a unique window of opportunity to coordinate their further development and/or implementation in an efficient and effective way. Practically, for example, this could help support the development of (to whatever degree is appropriate) integrated mental health and social and emotional wellbeing, and suicide prevention and substance abuse disorder services, or promotion or prevention programs, that work across these areas simultaneously - for example through the integrated Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing Teams proposed by the National Mental Health National Commission’s Review of Mental Health Services and Programmes for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. The key consideration is that just as the lived experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people does not these issues, neither should our strategic responses. ‘silo’
be developed to complement the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Health Plan Implementation Plan being released in July 2015; and be coordinated with the implementation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy (2013), and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Drug Strategy 2014-2019 as well as mainstream mental health policy. A unique window of opportunity Currently there is a unique window of opportunity for the development of such a plan. The table below lists five strategic responses within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health area, or that are associated with mental health in a significant way. Against each is an indication of the stage of development and implementation at time of writing. Strategic response Status The renewal of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing. Expected to be completed in 2015 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy Completed in 2013 but not yet implemented. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project To report in 2015 - the implementation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy is to be informed by the findings of the project. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Drug Strategy Expected to be completed in 2015 General population mental health planning including the National Mental Health Plan (2009 – 14) that includes planning for mainstream mental health services that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples use. To be renewed probably following the Australian Government’s response to the National Mental Health Commission’s National Review of Mental Health Services and Programmes expected in early 2015. All five strategic documents or projects are either in a late-development or pending implementation stage. Because of this, the Australian Government now enjoy a unique window of opportunity to coordinate their further development and/or implementation in an efficient and effective way. Practically, for example, this could help support the development of (to whatever degree is appropriate) integrated mental health and social and emotional wellbeing, and suicide prevention and substance abuse disorder services, or promotion or prevention programs, that work across these areas simultaneously - for example through the integrated Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing Teams proposed by the National Mental Health Commission’s National Review of Mental Health Services and Programmes for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. The key consideration is that just as the lived experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people does not ‘silo’ these issues, neither should our strategic responses.
Future%20Directions%20in%20Aboriginal%20and%20Torres%20Strait%20Islander%20Social%20and%20Emotional%20Wellbeing%2C%20Mental%20Health%20and%20Related%20Areas%20Policy.docx