Aboriginal health

Page content: Overview | Vision | The AHPACC partnership model | AHPACC partnership guiding principles | AHPACC partnership program guidelines | Sites for AHPACC partnership | Implementation plans | AHPACC partnership implementation plans | Workforce development and organisational development | Communication bulletins | Relevant initiatives | Further information

Overview

The Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care (AHPACC) Partnership aims to increase the access Indigenous people have to culturally appropriate health care. The AHPACC Partnership will support Community Health Services (CHSs) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to work collaboratively to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians with, or at risk of, chronic disease.

Vision

Aboriginal Victorians can access primary health care that is culturally respectful and addresses aspects of health including prevention, promotion and treatment, underpinned by principles of self-determination and collaboration, and endeavours to achieve a quality of life for Aboriginal people, equal with all other Victorians.

The vision of the AHPACC Partnership will be achieved through:

• Increased access to primary health care services by Aboriginal Victorians;
• Improved clinical service delivery, coordination and continuity of care, and support for chronic disease self-management approaches;
• Coordinated approaches to health promotion planning, implementation and evaluation by building upon existing programs;
• Increased capacity of CHSs in the provision of culturally sensitive services; and,
• Workforce development and organisational support for both Aboriginal and mainstream workers and organisations.

AHPACC partnership model

This new program model provides resources to support both CHSs and ACCHOs within nine geographical areas across Victoria (see appendix 3) to work in partnership towards a common goal of improving health outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. The model has established new positions to support health promotion and access to services targeting chronic disease prevention and management for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers. In addition to this, the individual and joint roles of partner organisations in achieving the health promotion and chronic disease prevention and management objectives underpin the program model. A capacity building component is a key element to this program model through the provision of workforce development and organisational support for both Aboriginal and mainstream workers and organisations.

The model has established new positions to support health promotion and access to services targeting chronic disease prevention and management for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.

AHPACC partnership guiding principles

The AHPACC Partnership is underpinned by the following guiding principles:

• A joint effort between mainstream services and ACCHOs is required to change the poor health status of Aboriginal people;
• Planning and implementation occurs through local partnerships at multiple levels;
• Organisational change strategies need to be supported by senior management;
• Acknowledgement of Aboriginal cultural influences and the historic, social, and cultural context of communities;
• Adherence to a holistic definition of health acknowledging a comprehensive primary health care approach for Aboriginal health promotion, chronic disease prevention and management;
• Aboriginal community support and involvement; and
• Alignment with existing Victorian and national programs, services and structures.

AHPACC partnership program guidelines

Detailed information on the policy context, goals & objectives, anticipated outcomes of the AHPACC Partnership can be found in the program guidelines.

Aboriginal health promotion and chronic care partnership: Program guidelines - Executive summary (158kb, pdf)

Interim Program Guidelines. Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership - November 2005 (581kb, pdf)

Sites for AHPACC partnership

Identifying and selecting sites for the AHPACC Partnership involved an extensive consultation process. The CHSs and ACCHOs identified in the map below have committed to working collaboratively at a whole of organisation level to improve the health of Indigenous Victorians who are with, or at risk of, chronic disease.

Map of the Community Health Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (201kb, JPEG)

Contact details of AHPACC Partnership agencies can be found at:

• Community Health Centres10 October, 2008htm" target="_blank">Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (External link)

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Implementation plans

Implementation Plan Resource List. This resource list (January 2006) has been compiled to assist Community Health Services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and other organisations in developing programs targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The resource list provides a number of links to data and best practice strategies on a range of health promotion, chronic disease prevention and management topics.

Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership - Resource List (408kb, pdf)

AHPACC partnership implementation plans

This summary describes the key health promotion and chronic disease priorities within each of the nine AHPACC Partnership areas.

AHPACC priorities for action related to health promotion and/or chronic disease 2007

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Workforce development and organisational development

The AHPACC Partnership includes a state-wide support function for Aboriginal staff within the newly created positions and for partner agencies involved in local programs. This support and training will be provided through a number of local and state-wide mechanisms. In addition to this, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) (external link) will provide accredited training, professional development and networking opportunities to Aboriginal persons employed through the AHPACC Partnership. Information about other training opportunities available on the HealthWorks Events Calendar.

Workforce development is a cornerstone of the AHPACC program with recruitment and training of the workers in these key positions as critical. A significant development in the first year has been the recruitment of the AHPACC workforce across the state. The AHPACC program currently has 20 workers, 15 of whom are Indigenous. Of this group, 10 Aboriginal and 2 non-Aboriginal workers have completed the Health Promotion Short Course conducted by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) earlier this year.

Communication bulletins

Communication Bulletins provide regular useful updates on the AHPACC Partnership.

Aboriginal health promotion and chronic care partnership - Information resource, June 2005 (37kb, pdf)

Aboriginal health promotion and chronic care partnership - Information bulletin, March 2006 (170kb, pdf)

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Relevant initiatives

Programs listed target Aboriginal populations and / or support chronic disease prevention and management. To ensure a consistent approach to addressing Aboriginal health promotion and chronic disease, it is important that where possible, the work of the AHPACC Partnership sites interfaces with these programs.

Further information

For further information contact:

Trudy McInnis
Senior Policy Adviser
Primary Health Branch
Tel: (61 3) 9096 8317
Email: trudy.mcinnis@dhs.vic.gov.au

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