Services
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)
VACCHO is Victoria’s peak representative Aboriginal health body and is a centre of expertise, policy advice, training, innovation and leadership in Aboriginal health.
Clinical Guidelines
Guidelines for best practice psychosocial assessment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people presenting to hospital with self-harm and suicidal thoughts
Suicide is a critical issue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. The Australian government and Indigenous leaders are now accepting that the legacy of colonisation, across different levels, is responsible for Aboriginal communities’ disproportionate experiences of suicide and other disadvantages. Colonisation impacts all levels of society, from structural barriers to family support networks, and is made up of complex and interrelated factors. Any proposed solutions or measurements attempting to address the issues of suicide and self-harm for Aboriginal peoples must consider these historical and contemporary complexities.
Reports and Publications
Delivering health programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children: Carer and staff views on what’s important
Carers and staff reported that approaches to communication, the content of that communication, how access is facilitated and the service environment managed to influence their decisions to interact with health services. With these data, decision-makers can better focus resources to improve experiences with their services.
Investing in the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents: a foundation for achieving health equity
Without specific investments in the health of adolescents, Australia will not redress health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples.
Providing culturally appropriate mental health first aid to an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander adolescent: development of expert consensus guidelines
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth mental health experts were able to reach consensus about what the appropriate communication strategies for providing mental health first aid to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescent. These outcomes will help ensure that the community provides the best possible support to Aboriginal adolescents who are developing mental illnesses or are in a mental health crisis.
A scoping review about social and emotional wellbeing programs and services targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Australia: understanding the principles guiding promising practice
Multiple culturally-oriented programs, services, and frameworks have emerged in recent decades to
support the social and emotional well-being (SEWB) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) people in Australia. Although there are some common elements, principles, and methods, few attempts have been made to integrate them into a set of guidelines for policy and practice settings. This review aims to identify key practices adopted by programs and services that align with the principles of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017–2023.
Asking young Aboriginal people who use illicit drugs about their healthcare preferences using audio-computer-assisted self-interviewing
This is the first report describing health concerns and service preferences of young Aboriginal people who use illicit drugs. The ACASI survey appears to be an appropriate and efficient approach to giving a voice to young Aboriginal people.
“I Don’t Really Know What Diabetes Is”: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People Aged 10 to 25 Years Living With Type 2 Diabetes in Northern and Central Australia
Our aim in this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 25 years with type 2 diabetes (T2D) living in Northern and Central Australia.