Building on Aboriginal Communities' Resilience

On this page

1. About the Building on Aboriginal Communities’ Resilience initiative
2. About the model of care
3. News and media about Building on Aboriginal Communities’ Resilience initiative

About the Building on Aboriginal Communities’ Resilience initiative

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for Aboriginal people living in NSW.

Under the Building on Aboriginal Communities’ Resilience initiative, 12 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) are being funded to:

• deliver programs to local Aboriginal communities across NSW
• increase access to culturally responsive suicide prevention activities.

The programs are being designed and led by Aboriginal people.

About the model of care

Emerging evidence has shown that key factors in suicide prevention approaches for Aboriginal communities include:

• ‘culture as treatment’
• cultural restoration and healing
• relevance to the area’s local context.

The model of care is designed and led by Aboriginal people, with consideration of work done by the University of Western Australia’s Centre for Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention’s work.

To support the implementation of this initiative, NSW Health will continue to work closely with:

• ACCHOs
• the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council (AH&MRC), and
• other experts in suicide prevention in NSW Aboriginal communities.

News and media about Building on Aboriginal Communities’ Resilience initiative

Using culture for community connection