Improving health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

34,000

people in our region identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

75/100

regularly visit a GP

for care services

98%

of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children are fully immunised by aged 5

2%

of people in our local health workforce identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Big Buddy Program

The Big Buddy Program works towards closing the gap with its holistic approach to responding to identified social and economic determinants of health. The PHN-funded program targets 12- to 17-year-olds in Chinchilla to create intergenerational change and empower young people to reach their full potential through their 'SIMPLE' approach: Social Inclusion, Mentorship, Promoting Life Skills and Education.

Activities are designed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and other students, to develop the knowledge and skills needed to transition from the teenage years to healthy adulthood and meaningful employment. There is a particular focus on healthy lifestyle choices through the provision of culturally appropriate health information, mentoring and positive role modelling. Students who are identified as being likely to benefit from assistance provided by other support agencies and services can also be referred by the Big Buddy team.

In 2021-2022, Big Buddy supported:

• 166 targeted activities
• 123 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• 98 non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
  

After Hours Youth Hub

CRAICCHS' After Hours Youth Hub aims to increase the resilience of the young people of Cherbourg through mentoring, education, and assistance. Since its beginning in January 2022, there have been over 400 points of contact per month, with a variety of activities provided for the young people of Cherbourg.

CRAICCHS work in collaboration with young people to reduce the isolation, grief and trauma caused by COVID-19 and high rates of suicide.

The program’s objectives:

1. Provide a culturally safe after-hours space for 'at-risk' young people to connect with workers and receive relevant supports.
2. To engage participants in cooking an evening meal and returning them home in a timely fashion for school the next day.
3. Provide purposeful structured and unstructured activities as well as targeted life programs.
4. Complete referrals to appropriate services regarding health, education, and social support.

This project is a community development program with ideas generated from local youth, community members, and employees of CRAICCHS.

Integrated Team Care

Integrated Team Care (ITC) and its predecessors, Care Coordination and Supplementary Services and Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care, was established to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with eligible complex chronic conditions who are unable to effectively manage their conditions, through access to one-on-one assistance from care coordinators. Since the establishment of ITC, the provision of care coordination, expediting access to necessary services and developing care pathways and service linkages, has resulted in an improved quality of life for clients enrolled in the program.

The aim of the ITC program is two-fold:

• contribute to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic conditions through access to care coordination, multidisciplinary care, and support for self-management
• improve access to culturally appropriate mainstream primary care services (including but not limited to general practice, allied health, and specialists) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).