Mainstream and Indigenous Services working together to ‘Close the Gap’6 August 2009

Building healthy and inclusive communities.

Promoting the well-

being of all.

The Vision

• Integrated services • Co-ordinated with other providers • Health promotion and prevention• Community partnerships

Overview of EACH• Budget 09/10 $34 m

• Program budgets 125

• Personnel 300+EFT/500+ staff

• Permanent sites 21

• Outreach locations 15

• Disability & Aged care

• Primary Health Care

• Regional Counselling

• Youth & Family Services

• Community Mental Health Support

• Employment, Training & Social Enterprises

Services

Maroondah Social and Community Health Centre

‘The Long Walk’

2000 – Elders & EACH Board draft ‘Sorry Statement’

Employment of Indigenous Liaison Worker(s)

Worowa College MOU for support to young people

2004 – EACH / Indigenous Working Party & DHS work together to implement the Gathering Place concept.

Funding for Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place (MMIGP) received by EACH on behalf of the Committee

2005 - MMIGP refurbishes and moves into own premises

‘The Long Walk’Cont’d

2006 – Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership (AHPACC) funding received by EACH

Governance levels engagement - reciprocal membership of MMIGP Committee and EACH Board

2007 – MMIGP becomes independent legal & financial entity

‘The Long Walk’Cont’d

2007 – EACH auspices Boorndawan Willam Indigenous Healing Service

2008 – The search & struggle for new home for Boorndawan Willam (BW)

Employment of manager and staff

2009 – Establishing an Indigenous Family Violence Healing Service in the context of mainstream Domestic Violence services.

The Journey Continues …..

ABORIGINAL & TSI Accessing EACH’s Services – last 9 months

Youth GP Clinic 5

Women’s Clinic 6

Disability Services 4

Mental health / Homelessness 6

Psych Disability 8

Respite 13

Youth Homelessness 1

Problem Gambling 3

Podiatry 8

Physiotherapy 9

Occupational Therapy 1

Personal Helpers and Mentors & Day 2 Day Living - community mental health

8

Disability employment services 2

Financial Counselling 8

Family Violence Counselling 2

Family Relationship Services for carers 2

Family Relationship centre 1

Victims of Crime Assistance Support 6

Early Childhood Intervention Program 4

Dental 9

Child Speech Therapy 1

Child Psychology 9

Child Long Day Care 1

Alcohol & Drug counselling 8

Aboriginal Health Promotion & Chronic Care (AHPACC)

63

TOTAL for last 9 months 187

Total Indigenous Registrations – EACH – August 2009

Note: Total was 181 in 2007

320

Victorian % Indigenous population 0.6%

Indigenous Clients of EACH as % of total registered clients (n= 38,000)

0.8%

Indigenous clients of EACH as % of total Indigenous pop’n of Eastern Region (n=2,600)

12 %

Learnings Along the Way

- Building trust takes time, patience & perseverance;

- Trust is easily lost & hard to regain;

- Managing Community expectations – overcoming the ‘one stop shop’ expectation;

- Embedding Cultural Competence – logistics, politics& resources;

- The dilemmas of Governance – legal risk management

- Money is the root of all evil

Pay Attention to….

- Governance;get the agreements right and document; but keep talking

- Staff & management; get clear on delegated authority between Committee, the Board, White Manager, Indigenous Manager & Staff – avoiding the ‘meat in the sandwich’ effect;

- Service operations & accountability; managing three-way expectations

- Managing Community expectations; overcoming the ‘one stop shop’ mentality;

Pay Attention; Con’t

- Embedding Cultural Competence; logistics, politics & resources;

- The dilemmas of Governance;avoiding dominance of legal /risk management thinking

- Managing the Money money is the root of all evil, so ….document, document, document; it won’t solve the problem but it helps.

Indigenous Community Health Service – Alaskan Style

a service of Cook Inlet Tribal Council

Welcome

First Stop - Traditional Healing – Not the Last