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Objectives: This article reviews the changing Aboriginal mental health service delivery model of Top End Mental Health Services, and highlights the importance of Aboriginal mental health workers in improving communication with Aboriginal patients. The Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative Northern Territory Indigenous stream (AIMHI NT) is introduced. Method: Baseline measures of AIMHI NT in 2003, and findings from two clinical file audits (1996 and 2001) at Royal Darwin Hospital inpatient unit are presented. The files were audited for a range of assessment and treatment interventions. Results: The audits reveal significant improvements in Aboriginal inpatient care between 1995 and 2001. Conclusion: Aboriginal mental health workers provide essential services as cross-cultural brokers in the setting of Aboriginal mental illness. The improvements in care found in this file audit coincide with the commencement of employment of Aboriginal mental health workers in the inpatient unit. The AIMHI consultation reveals broad support for employment of more Aboriginal mental health workers in the Top End. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to the activities of the Rural Special Interest Group (RSIG). It offers information on the RSIG symposium that was held in Perth with the theme "Research and Education in Rural Settings." It highlights the results of an ongoing study in the Northern Territory concerning indigenous people living in remote communities and their psychological dependence on alcohol or marijuana or both.

Objective: Australian Indigenous peoples in remote and rural settings continue to have limited access to treatment for mental illness. Comorbid disorders complicate presentations in primary care where Indigenous youths and perinatal women are at particular risk. Despite this high comorbidity there are few examples of successful models of integrated treatment. This paper outlines these challenges and provides recommendations for practice that derive from recent developments in the Northern Territory. Conclusions: There is a strong need to develop evidence for the effectiveness of integrated and culturally informed individual and service level interventions. We describe the Best practice in Early intervention Assessment and Treatment of depression and substance misuse study which seeks to address this need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to estimate the incidence rate of first episode of psychosis (FEP) in the Top End of the Northern Territory (NT), exploring how rates vary by age, sex, Aboriginal status and remoteness. Method: Youths (ages 15–24) presenting with FEP to the two specialist mental health services in the Top End were identified through audit of the electronic health records between 2014–2018. Population demographic data were collected from the 2016 Australian National Census. Statistical analysis estimated variation in incidence rates by age, sex, Aboriginal status and remoteness. Results: A total of 236 youths with FEP were included in the study. The overall incidence rate was 174 per 100,000 person-years. Rates were very high in the Aboriginal (331 per 100,000 person-years) and remote populations (308 per 100,000 person-years), and lower in the non-Aboriginal population (85 per 100,000 person-years). Conclusion: This study shows high rates of FEP in young people in the Top End, attributable to very high rates in the Aboriginal population, many of whom live in remote areas. Resources should be allocated to support this high-risk group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This article reviews the changing Aboriginal mental health service delivery model of Top End Mental Health Services, and highlights the importance of Aboriginal mental health workers in improving communication with Aboriginal patients. The Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative Northern Territory Indigenous stream (AIMHI NT) is introduced.Method: Baseline measures of AIMHI NT in 2003, and findings from two clinical file audits (1996 and 2001) at Royal Darwin Hospital inpatient unit are presented. The files were audited for a range of assessment and treatment interventions.Results: The audits reveal significant improvements in Aboriginal inpatient care between 1995 and 2001.Conclusion: Aboriginal mental health workers provide essential services as cross-cultural brokers in the setting of Aboriginal mental illness. The improvements in care found in this file audit coincide with the commencement of employment of Aboriginal mental health workers in the inpatient unit. The AIMHI consultation reveals broad support for employment of more Aboriginal mental health workers in the Top End. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate trends in hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour in the Northern Territory (NT) resident population over the period 2001-2013.Methods: Estimates of age-standardised rates and average changes in the annual rate of hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour were calculated by socio-demographic characteristics and types of suicidal behaviour.Results: Overall rates for Indigenous admissions were 2.7 times higher than non-Indigenous admissions and had increased by almost twice as much. While male and female rates of admission were similar for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents, the average annual change in rates was greater for Indigenous females (13.4%) compared to males (8.8%) and for non-Indigenous males (7.7%) compared to females (5.2%). Younger and middle-aged Indigenous admissions experienced increasing rates of admissions, whilst trends were similar across age groups for non-Indigenous admissions. Admissions with a diagnosis of suicidal ideation increased the most across all groups. Trends in intentional self-harm admissions differed according to Indigenous status and sex.Conclusions: There have been substantial increases in hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour in the NT, most markedly for Indigenous residents. Indigenous females and youth appear to be at increasing risk. The steep increase in suicidal ideation across all groups warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report the impact of the Indigenous e-mental health training course 'Yarning about Indigenous Mental Health using the AIMhi Stay Strong App'.Method: Participants were trained in e-mental health and the use of one of the first culturally adapted e-mental health interventions - The AIMhi Stay Strong App. Between October 2013 and December 2014, 138 participants completed the 'Yarning about Indigenous Mental Health using the AIMhi Stay Strong App' training course and 130 completed pre- and post-training questionnaires to explore knowledge and confidence in a number of areas trained.Results: Paired t-tests showed significant improvements across all measures of skill and knowledge except for confidence in using computers.Conclusions: E-mental health is a relatively new development that may contribute to improved access to mental health services for rural and remote Indigenous Australians, particularly where such tools are culturally adapted. Whilst current knowledge and use of e-mental health tools in this group of Northern Territory service providers was limited, perceived knowledge and confidence in use was significantly improved following training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]