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Indigenous Health Information: Resources & Websites

Key Organisations In South Australia

Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia
167 Fullarton Road, DULWICH, SA 5065
PH: (08) 8431 4800

Aboriginal Services Division
Dept. of Human Services, PO Box 39, RUNDLE MALL, ADELAIDE SA 5001
PH: (08) 8226 6344

Office of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health (SA)
Commonwealth Dept. of Health and Ageing, 55 Currie St, ADELAIDE SA 5000
PH: (08) 8237 8307

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)
44 Waymouth St, PO Box 1672, ADELAIDE SA 5001
PH: (08) 8237 6300

Department of State Aboriginal Affairs (DOSAA)
1ST Floor, 22 Pulteney St, ADELAIDE SA 5000
PH: (08) 8226 8900

Nunkawarrin Yunti (Metropolitan Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation)
182-190 Wakefield St, ADELAIDE SA 5000
PH: (08) 8223 5217

Pika Wiya (Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation)
40-46 Dartmouth St, PO Box 2021, PORT AUGUSTA SA 5700
PH: (08) 8642 9917

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Websites

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HEALTH ORGANISATIONS (NACCHO)

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is the national peak Aboriginal health body. It has a membership of around 100 Aboriginal community controlled health services throughout Australia, which operate in urban, rural and remote areas. NACCHO represents the health interests of Aboriginal communities at the national level. It promotes holistic and culturally appropriate health to Aboriginal communities. This site provides excellent resources, networks, and an overview of past and present policies and research regarding Indigenous health

INDIGENOUS HEALTHINFONET

Developed by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Clearinghouse at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. This site covers a wide range of issues of relevance to Indigenous health, many of which lie outside the direct responsibility of the health sector. These include cultural, social, historical and economic issues, as well as those relating to the physical environment. Also includes an electronic health publication (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Bulletin), information on specific health conditions and diseases, state by state information and statistics. This is a very useful site.

OFFICE OF ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HEALTH (OATSIH)

OATSIH are responsible for the provision of funding to Indigenous community controlled health and substance misuse services. This site provides information on OATSIH's structure, staff and activities. It is intended also to serve as a forum for sharing information on current initiatives in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. OATSIH is part of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (PHAA)

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Health Special Interest Group

BRINGING THEM HOME: REPORT OF THE NATIONAL INQUIRY INTO THE SEPARATION OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES

ROYAL COMMISSION ON ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY

ATSIC

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission

ABORIGINAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNCIL (SA) Inc.

ADAC was incorporated in 1993 as a direct result of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. On this site you can find out about projects they run, contact information and access to a library of files produced from current and past projects, South Australia

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

This Department is responsible for the policy administration and operation of public health, hospitals, family and community services, disability services, ageing and housing. Search facility available.

KIMBERLEY ABORIGINAL MEDICAL SERVICES COUNCIL INC.

This is a health resource body for a group of independent Aboriginal community owned health services. This site includes material on Aboriginal health and links to other Aboriginal health related sites.

ABORIGINAL HEALTH NETWORK (SOUTH AUSTRALIA)

A network provider for providers and consumers of health services in Adelaide, SA.

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Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee Of South Australia (AHREC)

Ethical Considerations for Health-Related Research involving Aboriginal People.

The Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee of South Australia (AHREC) is recognised by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) as an Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC). It is a sub- committee of the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc., the peak community-based body of Aboriginal health in South Australia.

Proposals to conduct health-related research involving Aboriginal people or communities in South Australia need to be submitted to the AHREC even if approval has been or will be obtained from the researcher's institution.

The AHREC exists to promote and support good ethically based research, which will benefit Aboriginal people.

You are welcome to discuss your research ideas or proposals with this Office, at any stage.

A Brief Checklist for Researchers

Consultation

• Appropriate literature searches have been/will be completed. (Note that you may also be able to search appropriate libraries in several Aboriginal organizations as well as the Department of Human Services).
• Advice has been or will be sought from State/Federal/local Aboriginal agencies (especially community-controlled health services, wherever appropriate, and the AHREC) prior to the design of the project proposal.
• The appropriate approval has been or will be obtained from Aboriginal agencies with regard to both the usefulness of the proposed research, and the sensitivity to the political and cultural situation of the community(ies) concerned, prior to any detailed discussions about research methods or ethical considerations.
• Wherever possible, written consent should be obtained from both individual participants or subjects and the relevant community elders and/or leaders and/or community-recognised spokespersons.
• Informed Consent must be based upon a clear simply worded but comprehensive Information Statement given to each participant or expressed in a medium that will be clearly understood by participants.

Community Involvement & Particular Local, Cultural Considerations

• Ideally your project should evolve from a collaborative approach to project design with at least one Aboriginal group/organization. Questions to consider include: has the relevant community received an offer of involvement in the conduct of the research? At what level? (eg co-investigator, research officer, project officer, or research assistant). It should also be noted that this necessitates budgeting to take account of appropriate payment for any assistance.
• Any particular cultural and social needs should be taken into account in the research design and methodology. This includes awareness of the relevant workloads of existing staff that may become involved in aspects of this research. Talking to Aboriginal organisations is vital to preliminary discussions on all such issues rather than reliance on text books on Aboriginal people of health.
• Community resources used in the conduct of research should be appropriately costed and a process for reimbursement needs to be identified in the research application.
• The Researcher must recognise the community's right to further information, and accept that changes to procedures or methods require further negotiations and consent. (The AHREC may also need to be approached for approval if any changes are proposed).

Sample Storage & Destruction

This is a particularly sensitive matter, which should be discussed with the Ethics Committee prior to forming your proposal. Further permission will need to be obtained if personal information or blood or tissue samples are to be used for purposes other than those detailed in the application.

Agreement must be reached concerning details pertaining to the return of identifiable raw data or sample(s), and secure storage. This agreement will probably need to be in writing such as in the form of a research contract.

Ownership of Data & Reporting Results

• Prior to any publication or presentation of research findings, they should be confidentially conveyed to participants ( with counselling when appropriate) and a Summary of Findings should be reported to the whole community through appropriate community agencies in whatever form they deem appropriate.
• Results must not be published revealing any participant's identity or any community without written permission.
• Pictorial material must only be created, produced or used with consent and must be handled in accordance with the community's wishes.
• Aboriginal assistants or contributors should, wherever practical, be involved in preparation of publications and should be acknowledged (in accordance with NH&MRC Statement of Scientific Practice).
• Co-authorship of publications with Aboriginal people should be arranged wherever appropriate.

Over-riding Principles

• The rights of individual patients or subjects or participants take precedence over the expected benefits to human knowledge, academic institutions or the wider community.
• Only research deemed to benefit the (relevant) Aboriginal community will be supported.

Approval for Research

Formal, written recommendation to conduct health related research with Aboriginal people is required from the AHREC prior to any such research in South Australia, even if ethical approval has already been obtained from other sources. Proposals are itemised to the AHREC agenda on receipt and will not be dealt with until future meetings. That recommendation however remains subject to the final decision of the particular Aboriginal community(ies) involved.

Community-Based, Community-Paced

Researchers should realise that many communities are quite small and feel that too much research has been going on and that it rarely seems to make a difference to their lives. Community leaders are often busy of short-staffed and poorly resourced. All research plans, therefore, must be progressed with a great deal of sensitivity and a willingness to listen and to work with communities at their pace.

Researchers should talk to key statewide Aboriginal organizations (including this Council) before approaching community members or leaders.

Publication

For a free copy of the 'Guidelines on Ethical Matters in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Research' (March 1991), please contact the National Health and Medical Research Council on Tel: 1800 658 616 or (02) 6289 7646; or URL: http://www.health.gov.au/nhmrc/index.htm

Correspondence:

The Chairperson
Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee of South Australia
PO Box 75, Fullarton, South Australia, 5063

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Aboriginal Health Council Of South Australia

About The Aboriginal Health Council of SA

The Aboriginal Health Council of SA (AHCSA) has operated since 1990 as the peak advisory body representing Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and Substance Misuse Services around South Australia. Membership of the Council comprises Aboriginal community controlled organisations, which either have health as a key part of their responsibility or are dedicated health service providers. Each member is independent and is represented on AHCSA by a spokesperson nominated by their local community. Similar structures operate in every other State of Australia, and together form the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) to operate at a national level.

Peak Body Statement

1. AHCSA is the peak advisory body on Aboriginal health and health related issues at a State and national level.
2. AHCSA will nominate members to represent the Council on committees at the State and National level.
3. AHCSA will work closely with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and Substance Misuse Services of South Australia and, on behalf implement the decisions that are best for these Services.
4. Local Aboriginal Health and Substance Misuse Services will redirect enquiries regarding Aboriginal health and substance misuse related issues to AHCSA.
5. In accordance with the South Australian Aboriginal Health Partnership (Framework Agreement, June 1996), AHCSA will work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, and the Department of Human Services to achieve agreed objectives for its members.

Role

AHCSA's role is to ensure its members have a strategic planning forum and a community controlled political voice to represent Aboriginal people in their struggle for improved health.

The Council is increasing awareness of Aboriginal health issues and lobbying for resources on behalf of the local communities who can make real improvements in Aboriginal Health.

AHCSA is the channel for communities to communicate with government on Aboriginal health policies in South Australia.

We support locally planning initiatives and work on members' behalf as requested. In addition, we co-ordinate State-wide opinion and direction on Aboriginal health issues that affect all members' communities.

Both the State and Federal Government formally recognise AHCSA as the peak representative organization on Aboriginal health in South Australia.

Responsiblities

• Provide advocacy, support and advice.
• Advise on ethics and research.
• Conduct research with other organizations.
• Training, development and workforce issues.
• Assist with strategic planning.
• Information policy and support to identify and monitor health status.
• Identify State wide health needs.
• Develop policy.
• Form partnerships to initiate State-wide Aboriginal health projects.
• Auspice State wide health projects.
• Represent the views of community controlled health organizations on specific health issues.
• Initiate approaches to government and mainstream agencies on Aboriginal health issues.
• Negotiate with State and Federal governments.
• Co-ordinate responses to issues and develop submissions.
• Develop and implement a workable strategy to improve the health of Aboriginal people in South Australia.
• Establish priorities for the distribution of Aboriginal health funds in South Australia.
• Educate government staff about Aboriginal health.
• Establish and control a system to monitor Aboriginal health services, issues and status.

Health Workers Support

AHCSA supports Aboriginal Health Workers, Substance Misuse Workers and Hospital Liaison Officers through the Aboriginal Primary Health Care Workers (APHCW) Forum, an AHCSA sub-committee, and its sub-group, the Hospital Liaison Group. The Forum has 16 members elected from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and Substance Misuse Services around South Australia, two of whom represent rural and metropolitan areas on AHCSA Board.

Ethics and Research

AHCSA promotes and supports quality research which will benefit Aboriginal people through the Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee of South Australia (AHREC), a sub-committee of AHCSA. The AHREC is recognised by the National Health and Medical Research Council as a Research Ethics Committee.

Information

AHCSA aims to improve the quality of information systems and policies for community oriented planning through the Information Sub-Committee. AHCSA also provides a Library for use by students and the general public.

Tobacco Control

AHCSA has conducted research to address the importance of smoking cessation amongst Aboriginal people in South Australia, and is now developing a State-wide Strategic Plan.

Training Development & Workforce Issues

AHCSA auspices Aboriginal Primary Health Care Certificate training in South Australia. The Adelaide Institute of TAFE is contracted to deliver the Certificate and to develop curriculum and learning materials. The Council is also involved in establishing the Centre for Rural and Remote Health and the SA Centre for Indigenous Social and Emotional Well Being, and in addressing issues which impact on workforce development. These projects aim to increase the number of health professionals working in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

Recruitment

AHCSA administers the Commonwealth funded Recruitment Program in South Australia. This program is being co-ordinated by NACCHO to address the problems associated with employing professional staff to work within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

For Further Information:

Contact the Aboriginal Health Council of SA, Telephone (08) 8431 4800, Fax number (08) 8431 4822.

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