title: Way Forward: an Indigenous approach to well-being.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals are overrepresented in mental health services in the state of Queensland (QLD), Australia; indicating greater prevalence and less preventative management of mental illness. This paper describes a project to enhance the model of care to improve mental health, alcohol and other drug outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community members in two metropolitan Hospital and Health Services, in Brisbane, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual and focus group consultations were conducted with stakeholders, to determine key themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The consultative phase of the project revealed three priority areas for action: governance and supervision arrangements for the workforce in the area of Indigenous mental health, alcohol and other drugs; the cultural capability of non-Indigenous clinicians; and consumer access to services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Way Forward project is a broad workforce redesign approach to address these three key areas. This approach is designed to acknowledge the strengths among the Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce and to utilise their specialised cultural knowledge. This strategy will also include working in relationships with key Community-controlled health and other organisations. The approach will be reviewed and evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Manager Way Forward Project, Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services, Metro North Mental Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia kimina.andersen@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Kimina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Cluster Coordinator, South Queensland Mental Health Clinical Cluster, Australia, Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: Project Officer Way Forward Project, Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services, Metro North Mental Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Howarth
authors.affiliation: Manager Performance and Accountability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Branch, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Executive Director, Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crompton
authors.affiliation: Executive Director, Metro North Mental Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Emmerson
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D054521:Cultural Competency; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development; D058996:Quality Improvement; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
keywords: Aboriginal people; Indigenous peoples; Torres Strait Islander people; cultural capability; cultural sensitivity; mental health; models of care; workforce; workforce redesign