A unique mental health network for Victorian Aboriginal people

McKendrick, Jane; Thorpe, Marjorie; Cutter, Trevor; Austin, Graeme W.; Roberts, William L.; Duke, Michael; Chiu, Edmond

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1990.tb136945.x

Cited by 13 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…This lack of cultural competency is compounded by the lack of Aboriginal staff in mental health services. This has been widely described as a barrier to utilization of services and Indigenous involvement has significantly improved engagement (McKendrick et al . 1990a; Nagel & Thompson 2006; Norris et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health services for Aboriginal men: Mismatches and solutions

Isaacs

Maybery

Gruis

2012

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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This paper describes the perceptions of Aboriginal stakeholders as well as mental health personnel on improving Aboriginal men's access to mental health services. From January 2009 to June 2010, 23 semi-structured interviews and three focus groups were conducted with 17 Aboriginal stakeholders and 29 mental health staff from a regional mental health service in Victoria. A qualitative description design was adopted and data were analysed thematically. Seven themes emerged from the data. Three themes focused on the mismatch between mainstream mental health service provision and the mental health needs of Aboriginal men. They include barriers to gaining entry into services, barriers to engagement with services, and staffing problems in the services. The remaining four themes related to possible solutions to improving men's access to services and included building men's confidence in services, developing relationships with the Aboriginal Community, enhancing flexibility of services, and strengthening the role of the Koori Mental Health Liaison Officer. The dual perspectives of Aboriginal stakeholders and service providers provide a more comprehensive picture of the ground realities concerning Aboriginal men's access to mental health services. The findings have implications for the provision of culturally sensitive mental health services for Aboriginal men.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health services for Aboriginal men: Mismatches and solutions

Isaacs

Maybery

Gruis

2012

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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“…Indigenous staff and Aboriginal health workers who are active in their communities and are employed in mainstream mental health services help to remove the misconceptions associated with those services and can provide a key role in boosting the confidence of clients within the service, as well as acting as cultural advisors to non‐Indigenous service providers (Eley et al . 2007; McKendrick et al . 1990; Nagel & Thompson 2006; Norris et al .…”

Section: Contacting the Mental Health Servicementioning

confidence: 99%

“…2007). In Melbourne, McKendrick et al . (1990) reported an increased utilization of mental health services by Aboriginal people following the development of a mental health network employing, among others, two Aboriginal mental health workers and one Aboriginal research officer.…”

Section: Contacting the Mental Health Servicementioning

confidence: 99%

“…2009). Describing an innovative mental health network and successful collaborative programme between an Aboriginal community and an academic unit in Victoria, McKendrick et al . (1990) note that effective partnerships need ‘goodwill and a preparedness to work through difficult issues’.…”

Section: ‘White Fella and Black Fella’ Working Together: Building Parmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A general lack of trust in mainstream services by the Indigenous community and previous experiences of racism and discrimination can draw individuals away from these services (Eley et al 2007;Henry et al 2004;McKendrick 2007;Wenitong 2002). Indigenous staff and Aboriginal health workers who are active in their communities and are employed in mainstream mental health services help to remove the misconceptions associated with those services and can provide a key role in boosting the confidence of clients within the service, as well as acting as cultural advisors to non-Indigenous service providers (Eley et al 2007;McKendrick et al 1990;Nagel & Thompson 2006;Norris et al 2007). In Melbourne, McKendrick et al (1990) reported an increased utilization of mental health services by Aboriginal people following the development of a mental health network employing, among others, two Aboriginal mental health workers and one Aboriginal research officer.…”

Section: Contacting the Mental Health Servicementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Barriers and facilitators to the utilization of adult mental health services by Australia's Indigenous people: Seeking a way forward

Isaacs

Pyett

Oakley‐Browne³

et al. 2010

Int J Mental Health Nurs

106

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Mental disorders are the second leading cause of disease burden among Australia's Indigenous people after cardiovascular disease. Yet Indigenous people do not access mental health services in proportion to their need. This paper explores the barriers and facilitators for Indigenous people seeking mental health services in Australia and identifies key elements in the development and maintenance of partnerships for improved service delivery and future research. The process of seeking help for mental illness has been conceptualized as four consecutive steps starting from recognizing that there is a problem to actually contacting the mental health service. We have attempted to explore the factors affecting each of these stages. While people in the general population experience barriers across all four stages of the process of seeking treatment for a mental disorder, there are many more barriers for Indigenous people at the stage of actually contacting a mental health service. These include a history of racism and discrimination and resultant lack of trust in mainstream services, misunderstandings due to cultural and language differences, and inadequate measures to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Further research is required to understand the mental health literacy of Indigenous people, their different perceptions of mental health and well-being, issues around stigma, and the natural history of mental illness among Indigenous people who do not access any form of professional help. Collaborations between mainstream mental health services and Aboriginal organizations have been promoted as a way to conduct research into developing appropriate services for Indigenous people.

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Western psychotherapeutic practice: Engaging Aboriginal people in culturally appropriate and respectful ways

Vicary

Bishop

2005

Australian Psychologist

115

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Until recently the majority of psychologists in Australia have been confronted by the lack of information relating to culturally appropriate methods of engagement and therapy with Aboriginal clients. Findings from a qualitative study undertaken in Western Australia indicated that Aboriginal conceptualisations of mental health appear more holistic and contain elements that are both cultural and spiritual. The extent of these differences in conceptualisations from Western psychiatry and psychology are so vast that the mental health interventions need to be reconsidered. Extending from an Aboriginal mental health model are traditional treatments that endeavour to address the cultural and spiritual components of the mental illness. Findings from the study indicated that these treatments appeared to be hierarchically organised, depending on cause, severity, type of practitioner required and treatment. The findings also indicated that Aboriginal people generally seek traditional interpretations and treatment of an illness and exhaust these avenues prior to contact with the Western mental health system. The research also delineated Aboriginal beliefs about Western psychotherapy, including conceptions about Western therapy. The authors propose an engagement model, including formative preparation, for non-Aboriginal practitioners intending to work with the Aboriginal community.

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A unique mental health network for Victorian Aboriginal people

Cited by 13 publications

References 5 publications

Mental health services for Aboriginal men: Mismatches and solutions

Mental health services for Aboriginal men: Mismatches and solutions

Barriers and facilitators to the utilization of adult mental health services by Australia's Indigenous people: Seeking a way forward

Western psychotherapeutic practice: Engaging Aboriginal people in culturally appropriate and respectful ways

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