The Central West NSW Mental Health and Wellbeing Program aims to deliver a genuine co-designed, culturally safe, holistic and Aboriginal led model of mental health and wellbeing care into Central West NSW. The program was established in 2021 to address mental health and wellbeing service gaps in the region. Developed using a partnership approach between local ACCHOs, Western NSW LHD and the MoH, the Program is founded on the principle that local Aboriginal people are best placed to lead change that affects their communities. A working group, which led the design and now governs the program, includes representation from the 4 participating ACCHOs, local Aboriginal Peak organisations, Western NSW LHD Aboriginal health and Wellbeing Unit and Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Unit. The Centre for Aboriginal Health (CAH) partners with Mental Health Branch and Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs to provide policy, coordination and program support to the working group.
The program demonstrates what can be achieved when LHDs and the MoH come together with ACCHOs to strengthen partnerships to build local solutions that work across communities. In 2023/24 the Program received recurrent funding to continue to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people in the region though increased ACCHO led social and emotional wellbeing, alcohol and other drug and clinical mental health services while strengthening referral pathways and coordinated care between ACCHOs and the LHD.
The first evaluation of the Program is underway, led by the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, and will prioritise Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing as evidence. The evaluation includes funding to work with the working group to co-create metrics of success and monitoring for the program moving forward.
Program, ward and service management Principle 3
