Unit 3 HHD A&TSI programs health

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives must reflect social justice which is based on:

• Human rights- freedoms and conditions that every person is entitled to.

• Access- to resources and opportunities they need to thrive ie safe water, health care, education and employment.

• Participation- in their community and have their voice represented.

• Equity- disadvantaged people need to have their specific challenges addressed to enable equality of health and wellbeing outcomes.

The Closing the Gap strategy is a healthy public policy designed to raise health and wellbeing for Indigenous Australians by 2031 in :

• Close the Gap in Life expectancy within a generation.

• Increase the proportion of A&TSI babies with a healthy birth weight to 91%

• Increase the proportion of A&TSI youth (15-24) who are in employment, education or training to 67%.

• Increase the proportion of A&TSI people living appropriately sized (not overcrowded) housing to 88%.

• A significant and sustained reduction in suicide and violence and abuse against A&TSI women and children towards zero.

The Deadly Choices initiative:

• Develops personal skills by providing education on tobacco cessation and cooking programs..

• Creates supportive environment for the Indigenous clients through cultural awareness training.

• Employs people from the local community which helps to strengthen community action.

• Reorients health services by allowing health workers to identify those at risk and address them prior to onset of disease.

• Promotes social justice by providing access to healthcare and education.

The 2 Spirits program:

• Embraces a community approach to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of Indigenous gay men and transgender M & F (Strengthen Community Action).

• Reorients health services by working in consultation with community members to identify appropriate means to help particular populations.

• Provides education for the community in regards to sexual health issues. (Develops personal skills).

• Assists in developing healthy public policy by providing consultancy to NGOs, and government agencies.

• Promotes social justice by providing support for A&TSI people to access healthcare.

The Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) initiative:

• Reorients health services by implementing the three-day Quitskills training program to help A&TSI people to quit.

• Assists in developing healthy public policy to the Aust. government to help create and implement smoke-free policies.

• Develops personal skills by the creation of a illustrated book about Deadly Dan to educate children on tobacco.

• Promotes social justice by addressing a significant issue within the A&TSI community (Equity).

The Aboriginal Quitline:

• Creates supportive environments by providing confidential support for A&TSI people who want to quit smoking.

• Provides quitting methods and products which develops personal skills.

• Can provide callers with links to local support groups which assists in creating supportive environments.

• Reflects social justice by addressing an issue that contributes significantly to the lower health status experienced by A&STI people, promoting equity.

Considerations in evaluating programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders include:

• Action areas of the Ottawa Charter that are evident

• Whether the initiative is culturally appropriate

• Whether the program has taken the specific needs of the target group into account

• Actual improvements to health and wellbeing

• Funding that has been provided to implement the initiative