Today VACCHO took to the steps of Parliament to mark the 2,000 days since Victoria’s Royal Commission into Mental Health tabled its final report in Parliament.
In the 2,000 days since the Royal Commission report, 121 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lost their lives to suicide.
VACCHO CEO Dr Jill Gallagher AO said the report had promised a transformation of the state’s mental health system, but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been left waiting.
“Behind every number is a loved one, a family, a Community and a future that should never have been lost – a seat at the family table that should still be occupied.”
VACCHO says one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle remains missing, and that is dedicated Aboriginal-led on Country healing centres.
“Healing cannot happen in systems that continue to disconnect Aboriginal people from culture, country and Community. For many Aboriginal people, healing is grounded in cultural identity, connection to Elders, language, family and country.”
Director of VACCHO’s Balit Durn Durn Centre, Nicola Perry-Peters said that for too long now, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria have fallen through the cracks of a fragmented and culturally unsafe mental health system.
“While the data speaks to lives lost, we do know there are still many who are dealing with high to very high levels of psychological distress.”
“Healing centres are essential infrastructure that would provide culturally safe spaces where people can reconnect with culture, receive holistic care and heal before they reach crisis point”
“If we are serious about preventing suicide, the government must invest in Aboriginal-led solutions that Aboriginal communities have been calling for over many years,” Ms Perry-Peters said.
VACCHO continues to strongly advocate for two Healing Centres that will bring together social and emotional wellbeing support, cultural healing, family support and clinical care in one.
