Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) recognises the unique place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, and acknowledges their ongoing spiritual and cultural custodianship of their lands.

The RANZCP also recognises the right for all Australians to experience good mental health, and seeks to redress the inequities in health experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through a variety of initiatives.

This page brings together resources to support the work of health professionals in improving knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health issues.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Committee

The RANZCP's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Committee is composed of psychiatrists who have direct experience working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members who are involved in mental health service provision and policy development.

It is committed to and passionate about improving access to effective mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and/or communities.

Current initiatives

RANZCP Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Trainee Financial Support Initiative

• Up to A$6,000/calendar year is available to assist with the costs of specialist training (e.g. RANZCP training fees, assessment fees, attending conferences) and other activities to achieve Fellowship. 
• This initiative is funded by the RANZCP. 
• To apply, read the Financial Support Initiative guidelines [PDF; 138 KB] and submit an application form.
• Please direct any queries to policy@ranzcp.org.

The Dance of Life 

It's important that health professionals working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities take a holistic approach to their work in order to achieve the best outcomes possible.

The Dance of Life, developed by Professor Helen Milroy, is a multi-dimensional model which combines paintings, narrative, theory and existing evidence into a framework designed to assist practitioners in understanding health and wellbeing from an Aboriginal perspective.

Read more about The Dance of Life

Resources

General resources

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy and advocacy documents
  RANZCP resources for those working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health.  Includes submissions, reports and position statements.
• RANZCP Reconciliation Action Plan 2016–2018
  The College's plan for increasing meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and helping to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
• Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration produced by National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health. 

Educational material

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health modules. If completing these modules to contribute to Fellowship training, please access the modules via Learnit. Selecting the links below will not record module completion.
  • Module 1: Interviewing an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient
  • Module 2: Developing a mental health management plan for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient
  • Module 3: Formulation of a case involving an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient
  • Module 4: Review a model of mental health service delivery in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community
• Resources on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health
• HealthinfoNet – release of new online resources
• Indigenous EPAs in the RANZCP 2012 Fellowship Program
  Information on the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) which are part of the College's 2012 Fellowship training program.  Includes Stage 2 EPAs on Indigenous mental health.
• Nicheportal website 
  Educational resources for medical specialists who care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and patients.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework Department of Health (Australia)

Useful links

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health useful links
  Other online resources about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health, including websites and journals.

Workshops

• Mental health assessment and suicide prevention of Aboriginal clients workshops

Disclaimer: Please be aware that this website and associated resources may contain the names or images of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples who are now deceased.

This page and some of the associated resources were made possible through Australian Government funding.