A HealthWISE program which empowers young Indigenous women leaving prison has been honoured at the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network 2024 Primary Care Quality and Innovation Awards.
The HealthWISE Tiddas in the Dale program received the First Nations Health Award at the Newcastle Exhibition and Convention Centre on Friday, June 26.
“We developed the Tiddas in the Dale program after we saw a pattern of young Aboriginal women facing a lack of support and critical barriers when leaving prison,” HealthWISE Indigenous Mental Health care coordinator Kerry Strong said.
“Our team walks beside clients on their journey to recovery.”
Our team walks beside clients on their journey to recovery.
The HealthWISE mental health team were also acknowledged for their work in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy, which was shortlisted for the Technology in Health Award and for their group and animal assisted therapy in residential aged care, which was a finalist for the Patients First Award.
A collaboration with the Department of Communities and Justice, the Tiddas in the Dale seeks to break the cycle of re-offending. The group is centred on identity, grounding and practical skills, and provides a place to go that doesn’t lead back to previous acquaintances or habits.
Kerry said many participants are navigating trauma and severe and complex mental illnesses and are often facing the threat of homelessness and unemployment.
Group activities are driven by the interests of participants, and include parenting programs for young mothers, sessions on writing a resume and life skill fundamentals. Participants also learn how to budget for financial stability and improve their overall health and wellbeing. HealthWISE partnered with JobLink Plus, Centacare, Centrelink, court support, Homes North and other local service providers to deliver these sessions.
Local Elders volunteered their time to share their knowledge as the Tiddas (sisters) visited Newara on Anaiwan country to find healing. The group participated in smoking ceremonies to give thanks to the land, learned about bush tucker and native grasses, and enjoyed arts and craft sessions.
Tiddas are also attending OzHarvest Nutrition Education Skills Training (NEST), a six-week food security workshop facilitated by HealthWISE which focuses on healthy eating and easy cooking on a budget. NEST includes hands-on cooking sessions, nutrition education and consultation with a dietitian.
The Tiddas in the Dale has already seen long lasting impacts, with one participant commencing a university course, another accepting full-time employment, and a third acting as a mentor for future groups.
The First Nations Health Award is given for responsiveness to diversity and difference to address health inequalities for First Nations communities. Also nominated were Awabakal Limited, Tobwabba Aboriginal Medical Service and Woodberry Family Practice.
The Patients First Award acknowledges organisations or providers that put people and communities first through engagement strategies to support best practice outcomes for the centre, the community, and their patients.
The HealthWISE mental health team were shortlisted for this award for their work in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs), which responded to obstacles providing care in RACFs by taking a patient-centred approach.
Working with RACF staff and the HNECC PHN, HealthWISE began incorporating group therapy and companion animal sessions in Glen Innes, Inverell and Tenterfield, increasing the number of residents using the service.
Arrow, a 4-year-old border collie, garners immediate interest among residents as they meet monthly with a HealthWISE clinician to speak about healthy ageing and social and emotional wellbeing.
The Patients First Award went to the Anglicare New England North West Carefinders program for their work connecting older people to Aged Care services.
The Technology in Health Award recognises organisations that demonstrate leadership in the use of technology to support their patients. The HealthWISE mental health team were finalists for enhancing trauma recovering through the use of work in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
EMDR is an evidence based therapy for trauma, which uses bilateral stimulation such as eye movements, tapping and auditory tones to promote healing by activating both hemispheres of the brain and facilitating communication between them. HealthWISE has a team of six mental health clinicians trained to provide EMDR therapy, and we are trialling therapist assisted online WeMind EMDR to give rural and remote clients access to this therapy. EngageVR and SimpliMove were the joint winners of the Technology in Health Award.
