News

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group Newsletter 25th March 2019 25 Mar 2019 Welcome to the 2nd Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Psychology Interest Group and Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA) joint Newsletter, 25th March 2019!
Indigenous Leaders Call Australian Governments to Action 25 Mar 2019 The delegates called Australian governments to action: to declare, and respond to, Indigenous suicide rates, including child and youth suicide rates, as a national crisis. The importance and relevance of their call is only reinforced by recent events.
National Close the Gap day 21 Mar 2019 The Close the Gap campaign aims to close the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation. AIPA wish to draw attention to the success stories in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention and World Indigenous Suicide Prevention conferences give voice to those most affected by suicide 30 Nov 2018 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention and World Indigenous Suicide Prevention conferences give voice to those most affected by suicide. Perth, Western Australia November 2018
Networking at the International Suicide Prevention Conference - November 2018 23 Nov 2018 A rare gathering of Indigenous psychologists from around the world, met during #WISPC18 World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference 2018 in Perth, Western Australia and discussed the potential for a "First Peoples of the World Psychology Network."
World Mental Health Day 2018 10 Oct 2018 AIPA acknowledge that our young people are the primary focus for the 2018 theme for World Mental Health Day, which is: ‘Young people and mental health in a changing world.'
Indigenous Psychology Congress Attendance Scholarships 1 Jun 2018 The APS is excited to announce our Indigenous Psychology Congress Attendance Scholarship and Indigenous Psychology Student Congress Attendance Scholarship!
Close the Gap 2018, Important document release from NATSILMH 15 Mar 2018 To mark today's National Close the Gap Day 2018, NATSILMH launched two important documents for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention.
10th Anniversary of the Apology 13 Feb 2018 10th Anniversary of the Apology
Listen to the voices of Indigenous Australians - Australia Day 2018 25 Jan 2018 The APS Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People encourages psychologists to be mindful of events and dates that may have different significance for Indigenous Australians.
Australia says Yes to marriage equality 15 Nov 2017 More than 12.7 million people voted in a huge 79.5% postal election.
Media Release - National Psychology Week 13 Nov 2017 Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association celebrate National Psychology Week 12 – 18 November 2017
A Historic Achievement: The Mental Health & SEWB Framework is Launched Today 10 Oct 2017 The Mental Health & SEWB Framework is Launched Today
This renewed Framework is intended to guide and inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing reforms.
World Mental Health Day today 10.10.2017 10 Oct 2017 Today marks World Mental Health Day 10th October 2017.
Indigenous youth suicide news story and how we need to work together to support our young people 20 Sep 2017 "Widely respected Indigenous Studies Professor and psychologist Pat Dudgeon — a Bardi woman from the Kimberley — .........So we do need to heal ourselves as an Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander community, but also as a nation.”
Embedding Cultural Safety in Australia's Main Health Care Standards 18 Sep 2017 Written by Martin Laverty, Dennis McDermott and Tom Calma
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (1): 15-16. || doi: 10.5694/mja17.00328
Special edition of the Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing - Te Mauri-Pimatisiwin on Indigenous Suicide Prevention 13 Sep 2017 This edition is highly significant as the journal and its articles approaches suicide prevention from Indigenous perspectives.
World Suicide Prevention Day 10 Sep 2017 Today marks World Suicide Prevention Day. Around Australia many of our people and members will be involved in activities to promote suicide prevention and to remember those that have been impacted by suicide.
First 1000 days Summit 10 Sep 2017 AIPA would like to help the promotion of the upcoming First 1000 days summit in Brisbane 18 to 20 October 2017.
Australian Psychologist - Indigenous Psychology Special Edition 1 Aug 2017 We are very proud to announce that our special issue of Australian Psychologist - Indigenous Psychology is now available. There are many interesting papers by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors alone or/and with non-Indigenous authors. This has free online access for a limited time, so please take the opportunity now to have a look! Congratulations to all authors! And to the Australian Psychologist Wiley team!
Suicide Prevention Australia Conference, Brisbane July 2017 29 Jul 2017 Several AIPA members recently attended the Suicide Prevention Australia National
Conference in Brisbane on the 27-29 July and reported this being very helpful in working
towards addressing suicide prevention in Australia. Importantly, at the end of the
conference the Tūramarama Declaration which was endorsed by 550 participants from
across Australia, Canada, Guatemala, USA, Pacific Nations, USA and New Zealand was
read out along with the First Nations Wellbeing Statement (see attached).
Visit to Griffith University 27 Jul 2017 The Chair of AIPA, Tania Dalton, and Executive Support Officer Tanja Hirvonen
attended the Griffith University on 27th July 2017 to meet with Indigenous psychology
students.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSIPEP) Report released 4 Dec 2016 The report was released at a ceremony in Parliament House attended by members of the project team, key stakeholders, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Sussan Ley, and Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ken Wyatt.
Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory 25 Nov 2016 News and interviews on the NT Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children
Lowitja Institute International Conference 14 Nov 2016 The Lowitja Institute International Indigenous Conference on Health and Wellbeing was held in Melbourne 8–10 November.

The Conference Statement, issued at the close of the conference, is a call to action "to ensure that we grow strong Indigenous children into strong and healthy adults able to reach the full potential of their lives".
Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP) papers published 13 Nov 2016 The Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP) launched its curriculum framework, recruitment, retention and graduation guidelines, and workforce capabilities framework at the 2016 APS Congress in Melbourne. The documents have now been published on the AIPEP website.
Kimberley Indigenous suicide roundtable 21 Oct 2016 News items associated with the Kimberley Indigenous suicide roundtable
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 21 Oct 2016 News, reports and resources associated with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Indigenous suicide roundtable to be held in Kimberley 14 Oct 2016 The Federal Government is set to hold a high-level roundtable on Indigenous suicide in the West Australian Kimberley region as suicide rates continue to escalate.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Conference 12 Oct 2016 The inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Conference gathered together experts and members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and wider communities to exchange learnings, share lived experiences, build knowledge and inspire one another as to how we can best strengthen communities to tackle the entrenched tragedy of Indigenous suicide.
AIPA's joint submission to the APAC Consultation on Standards 12 Oct 2016 AIPA, with the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP) team and Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) provided a submission to the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) consultation on standards for undergraduate and postgraduate psychology programs.
The Redfern Statement 23 Sep 2016 Australia’s peak Indigenous organisations released a Statement calling for urgent government commitment and action to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage and act on the recommendations of past reports and inquiries.
APS Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 15 Sep 2016 The Australian Psychological Society issued a formal apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, acknowledging psychology’s role in contributing to the erosion of culture and to their mistreatment.
Launch of the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration 27 Aug 2015 The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health (NATSILMH) Chair and National Mental Health Commissioner Professor Pat Dudgeon launched the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration.
AIPA takes a stand against Racism 30 Jul 2015 AIPA would encourage others to make a stand against racism and to have discussions about how to make significant steps forward towards genuine reconciliation.
The National Aboriginal Leadership in Mental Health calls for 6 steps to close the Indigenous mental health gap 13 Feb 2015 The National Aboriginal Leadership in Mental Health is calling for 6 steps to close the mental health gap.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Roundtable 24 Jun 2014 In June 2014, Indigenous leaders, experts and stakeholders met in Perth to discuss suicide prevention among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to identify the actions needed to turn the high rates of suicide around.
AIPA has delivered cultural competence training to 600 psychologists 20 Mar 2014 This has included 54 clinical psychologists
Mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing anxiety and depression. 24 Sep 2013 The Department of Health of Ageing has funded AIPA to deliver cultural competence training to all non-Indigenous mental health practitioners who provide services through Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) programs. ATAPS programs are delivered nationally through Medicare Locals and offer free mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing anxiety and depression.
Referrals to ATAPS programs are made by local GPs.
Formation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Advisory Group 23 Dec 2011 An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Advisory Group (ATSIMHAG) has been formed to offer advice to the Department of Health and Ageing on strategic and practical ways to improve the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
AIPA has been engaged to provide secretariat support for this group.
AIPA joins the National Health Leadership Forum of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples 3 Nov 2011 Eleven Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health groups have formed a National Health Leadership Forum within the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples.