Abstract
Objective: A week-long intensive outreach project to the Indigenous community of Napranum was undertaken by a Community Forensic Mental Health Service with the aim of developing the community's capacity for primary and secondary prevention of forensic mental health problems.
Method: The process of developing and implementing the project is described. The outcome is evaluated by means of qualitative feedback from community members and participants.
Results: The project was requested by the local community; planning involved extensive consultation between Queensland Health, community leaders and local service providers; and it was delivered with extensive contributions from other Queensland Health services, various non-government organizations, Indigenous opinion-leaders and public media, and an NRL football team. The outcomes are sustainable at a local level.
Conclusions: This form of community engagement may contribute to destigmatization of mental illness in Indigenous communities, increased engagement beween these communities and mental health service providers, and increased cohesiveness and morale of these communities.
Notes
aMark attended Creating Futures in 2006 and interviewed all of the Australian and international indigenous keynote speakers for an interactive DVD which can be obtained through HITnet (www.hitnet.com.au). io