AHAC Information Package

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Regional Initiatives

Aboriginal Services

Aboriginal Health Advisory Committee

Author: Steven Sumner

Modified date: 16 January 2006 1:53pm

Some eleven years ago now, in 1994, the South Australian Health Commission began to address the need for better representation of Aboriginal people’s views on seven Regional Health Boards in South Australia. This followed a major restructure of the administration of health services in the State, with more decision making authority given to seven designated Regional Health Boards, each of which had (and continue to have) an Aboriginal representative among its members.

Since 1994 there have been significant developments here in South Australia that has contributed to an overall raised consciousness about the poor health status of Aboriginal people’s health.

These developments include:

· The signing of the first Agreement on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health by the State Government; the Commonwealth Government; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Inc. in 1996. This was the birth of the “South Australian Aboriginal Health Partnership”

· The community consultation that occurred in 1996/97that led to the development of Aboriginal specific Regional Health Plans. “The First Step” is a landmark document, which articulates the health priorities identified by Aboriginal communities throughout the State. “The First Step” also recognised as a key Action priority the importance of the Aboriginal Health Advisory groups to advise on all Aboriginal Health issues for the Regions.

· The establishment of the Department of Human Services in 1997 following the amalgamation of the previous Department of the Health Commission: Family and Community Services and Housing

· The creation of the Aboriginal Services Division within the Department of Human Services as a dedicated source of advice to the department of Human Services on Aboriginal policy, service needs and development.

· The creation of the Aboriginal Housing Authority in 1998 as a dedicated Aboriginal controlled agency focusing on the housing needs of Aboriginal South Australians.

These developments have been accompanied by a greater recognition of the rights of Aboriginal people to improve health services and recognition of the important principles of equal participation in the mainstream service system; equity of resource allocation and the right of Aboriginal people to ‘have a voice’ when critical health priorities are being determined. The Aboriginal Health Advisory Committees we are familiar with today reflect these basic principles.

For more information about AHAC please contact Steve Sumner on (08) 8535 6833.

Attached files

AHAC.pdf	( FINAL DRAFT HMS AHAC.pdf 174.32 KB )

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Last updated on: 16 January 2006