VACCHO welcomes $15.8 million in Victorian government funding to expand Koori Maternity Services across 10 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).
This announcement from Minister Thomas puts Aboriginal women and their families at the centre of care – making sure it’s free, culturally safe and close to home.
VACCHO CEO Dr Jill Gallagher AO, said Aboriginal mothers and their babies deserve the same health outcomes as any other mother and child in Victoria.
“For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally safe care is the foundation of trust, dignity and healing.”
“VACCHO welcomes this vital funding to support our ACCHOs, as they help set up our Boorais for the strongest start to life,” Dr Gallagher said.
The goal of the services is to ensure culturally safe and high-quality pregnancy care, with the following outcomes:
- More Aboriginal women access antenatal care earlier in their pregnancy
- Fewer Aboriginal babies are born early
- Fewer Aboriginal babies die during pregnancy or soon after birth.
When ACCOs deliver care, it is grounded in Culture, connection and kinship and is also delivered by clinicians who understand their Community, their needs and their experiences.
The funded ACCOs include:
- Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Services
- Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative
- Bendigo and District Co-operative Ltd
- First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing
- Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative
- Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association
- Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc
- Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation
- Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
- Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Limited
