❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the implementation of recommendations from the Coroner's Inquest into 22 Aboriginal Deaths in the Kimberley, specifically regarding mental health and suicide prevention services. The response details progress on relevant recommendations and outlines services introduced to support affected communities.
AnsweredQoN 4407Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Coroner’s Inquest into 22 Aboriginal Deaths in the Kimberley which was handed down in February 2008, and I ask -
(1) Have any of the 27 recommendations contained within the Coroner’s Report been introduced?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), how many?
(4) If yes to (1), which recommendations are those?
(5) What services have been introduced into the Kimberley to assist the people who live in the communities to come to terms with the deaths?
(6) What services have been introduced into the Kimberley to assist those people who are thinking of taking their lives?
(1) Have any of the 27 recommendations contained within the Coroner’s Report been introduced?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), how many?
(4) If yes to (1), which recommendations are those?
(5) What services have been introduced into the Kimberley to assist the people who live in the communities to come to terms with the deaths?
(6) What services have been introduced into the Kimberley to assist those people who are thinking of taking their lives?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 September 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
44 days
(1 - 3) Yes. Of the 27 recommendations contained within the Coroner's Report, 4 required action under the portfolio of Mental Health.
(4)
Recommendation 19
: (Homemaker Program and other programs to develop life skills) Department of Housing and Works and the Department of Child Protection to be lead agencies.
· St John of God Health Care and Save the Children plus the Community Controlled sector are program providers.
· The In Home Practical Support Program is Department of Housing funded and run.
· Community Mothers in Halls Creek is an Australian Better Health Initiative funded program, contracted to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council and delivered by Yura Yungi, funded initially through the Office of Aboriginal Health.
· Strong Families is provided by Department of Child Protection.
Recommendation 22
: (Review allocation of staff to Fitzroy Crossing Hospital)
Completed. The Fitzroy Crossing Hospital has a Practice Manager and Practice Nurse liaising with the Chronic Disease team in Population Health. A full time Registered Nurse, who commenced in July 2011, manages the Visiting Specialist portfolio. Overall there has been an increase of 4 fulltime equivalent (FTE) staff.
Recommendation 23
: (Positive health programs and swimming pool in Fitzroy Crossing)
· Positive health programs have been implemented, particularly targeting the areas of Child and Maternal Health, Sexual Health, Men's Health and Primary Health.
· There is a new public swimming pool in Fitzroy Crossing which is the responsibility of local government, the Shire of West Kimberley.
Recommendation 24
: (Secure Mental Health facility at Broome Hospital) The Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) is under construction with practical completion scheduled for mid January 2012 and commissioning of the APU is planned for early March 2012. It will only be operational after this time.
(5) Standby Suicide Support Services was established in 2009 by United Synergies in partnership with Anglicare/Kinway in Broome. This program was developed in response to the high suicide rate in the Kimberley. Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service works in partnership with Standby Suicide Support Services to assist families affected by suicide.
(6) Services that have been developed since the coronial inquiry that target people who are contemplating suicide have been funded through the COAG Closing the Gap funding and the Mental Health Commission. Headspace Kimberley and the Alive and Kicking programs developed in partnership with the Men's Outreach Service are programs that target suicide prevention. Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service works in partnership with these service providers to assist people who are thinking of taking their own lives.
In June 2009, the Drug and Alcohol office (DAO) provided additional funding to WACHS to enhance services in Halls Creek by placing additional 2 FTE workers in the town for six months following the introduction of alcohol restrictions. DAO also provided short term funding to enable Ngnowar Aerwah staff to also visit Halls Creek each month, commencing in May 2009, to support clients, pre- and post- entry, to the residential service until the end of the year.
In August 2011 the DAO approved additional funding to WACHS to employ 2 FTE alcohol and other drug workers over the next 12 months to provide prevention, treatment and support services to the residents of Halls Creek following the closure of the Halls Creek Sobering-up Centre.
Commencing in the 2011/12 financial year, funding of $10 million over the next four years will provide additional alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment services and Aboriginal AOD health workers in the Kimberley. These funds are expected to provide for the employment of up to 18.5 FTE alcohol and other drug workers for the region.
The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has allocated $1.36million in funding to fast-track the State Suicide Prevention Strategy in the Kimberley.
The State Government, through the Mental Health Commission and the WA Country Health Service, has provided $560,000 for temporary staff. The additional temporary positions include five staff at the Kimberley Regional Mental Health and Drug Service; three to Kinway for the regional Standby Suicide Response Strategy; two at the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service; and one at the Derby Aboriginal Health Service. The MHC is considering an extension of the current temporary arrangements beyond September 2011.
The Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC) will receive $800,000 to fund four community co-ordinators to work in the Kimberley region for an initial 12 months to develop Community Action Plans (CAPs) to prevent suicide. The CAPs will be uniquely created and owned by each community to reflect their own culturally-specific needs and be developed through a process of community engagement with individuals, families, communities and Aboriginal organisations. The plans aim to increase the training, skills and capacity of local communities to recognise people at risk of suicide, to help prevent suicide and reduce the harm caused by suicide.
In addition to the Strategy, the MHC funds key suicide prevention initiatives, with almost $1million in 2010/11 for counselling and early intervention services, crisis lines and national initiatives such as
beyondblue.
The MHC provided $75,000 to support the Billard Blank Page Summit Hard Yarn Youth Mob held 25-29 July 2011 and has also agreed to support the Balgo community in the Kimberley to hold their own community suicide summit in 2012. The MHC funded approximately twenty Balgo community members to attend the Billard Summit.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
(4)
Recommendation 19
: (Homemaker Program and other programs to develop life skills) Department of Housing and Works and the Department of Child Protection to be lead agencies.
· St John of God Health Care and Save the Children plus the Community Controlled sector are program providers.
· The In Home Practical Support Program is Department of Housing funded and run.
· Community Mothers in Halls Creek is an Australian Better Health Initiative funded program, contracted to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council and delivered by Yura Yungi, funded initially through the Office of Aboriginal Health.
· Strong Families is provided by Department of Child Protection.
Recommendation 22
: (Review allocation of staff to Fitzroy Crossing Hospital)
Completed. The Fitzroy Crossing Hospital has a Practice Manager and Practice Nurse liaising with the Chronic Disease team in Population Health. A full time Registered Nurse, who commenced in July 2011, manages the Visiting Specialist portfolio. Overall there has been an increase of 4 fulltime equivalent (FTE) staff.
Recommendation 23
: (Positive health programs and swimming pool in Fitzroy Crossing)
· Positive health programs have been implemented, particularly targeting the areas of Child and Maternal Health, Sexual Health, Men's Health and Primary Health.
· There is a new public swimming pool in Fitzroy Crossing which is the responsibility of local government, the Shire of West Kimberley.
Recommendation 24
: (Secure Mental Health facility at Broome Hospital) The Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) is under construction with practical completion scheduled for mid January 2012 and commissioning of the APU is planned for early March 2012. It will only be operational after this time.
(5) Standby Suicide Support Services was established in 2009 by United Synergies in partnership with Anglicare/Kinway in Broome. This program was developed in response to the high suicide rate in the Kimberley. Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service works in partnership with Standby Suicide Support Services to assist families affected by suicide.
(6) Services that have been developed since the coronial inquiry that target people who are contemplating suicide have been funded through the COAG Closing the Gap funding and the Mental Health Commission. Headspace Kimberley and the Alive and Kicking programs developed in partnership with the Men's Outreach Service are programs that target suicide prevention. Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service works in partnership with these service providers to assist people who are thinking of taking their own lives.
In June 2009, the Drug and Alcohol office (DAO) provided additional funding to WACHS to enhance services in Halls Creek by placing additional 2 FTE workers in the town for six months following the introduction of alcohol restrictions. DAO also provided short term funding to enable Ngnowar Aerwah staff to also visit Halls Creek each month, commencing in May 2009, to support clients, pre- and post- entry, to the residential service until the end of the year.
In August 2011 the DAO approved additional funding to WACHS to employ 2 FTE alcohol and other drug workers over the next 12 months to provide prevention, treatment and support services to the residents of Halls Creek following the closure of the Halls Creek Sobering-up Centre.
Commencing in the 2011/12 financial year, funding of $10 million over the next four years will provide additional alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment services and Aboriginal AOD health workers in the Kimberley. These funds are expected to provide for the employment of up to 18.5 FTE alcohol and other drug workers for the region.
The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has allocated $1.36million in funding to fast-track the State Suicide Prevention Strategy in the Kimberley.
The State Government, through the Mental Health Commission and the WA Country Health Service, has provided $560,000 for temporary staff. The additional temporary positions include five staff at the Kimberley Regional Mental Health and Drug Service; three to Kinway for the regional Standby Suicide Response Strategy; two at the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service; and one at the Derby Aboriginal Health Service. The MHC is considering an extension of the current temporary arrangements beyond September 2011.
The Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC) will receive $800,000 to fund four community co-ordinators to work in the Kimberley region for an initial 12 months to develop Community Action Plans (CAPs) to prevent suicide. The CAPs will be uniquely created and owned by each community to reflect their own culturally-specific needs and be developed through a process of community engagement with individuals, families, communities and Aboriginal organisations. The plans aim to increase the training, skills and capacity of local communities to recognise people at risk of suicide, to help prevent suicide and reduce the harm caused by suicide.
In addition to the Strategy, the MHC funds key suicide prevention initiatives, with almost $1million in 2010/11 for counselling and early intervention services, crisis lines and national initiatives such as
beyondblue.
The MHC provided $75,000 to support the Billard Blank Page Summit Hard Yarn Youth Mob held 25-29 July 2011 and has also agreed to support the Balgo community in the Kimberley to hold their own community suicide summit in 2012. The MHC funded approximately twenty Balgo community members to attend the Billard Summit.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.