Dudgeon, P., Collova, J. R., Sutherland, S., Derry, K., Milroy, H., Al Yaman, F., Alexi, J., Ansloos, J., Banjavcic-Booker, S., Bower, M., Brand, T., Bandler, L., Brideston, T., Calma, T., Campbell, M., Chang, E.P., Cox, A., Daniels, G., Darwin, L., Douglas, R., Duarte, B., Dyall, D., Edwige, V., Gibson, P., Gotovac, N., Goulding, J., Harley, S., Kashyap, S., Kimpton, A.L., Law, C., Leavens, S., Mascall, C., McBean, T., McLeod, A., Mckenna V., McPhee, R., Morse, G., Mulholland, K., Orazi, K., Pearce, P., Reilly L., Ring, I., Selkirk, B., Smith, P., Stewart, P., Thitchener, J., Waitoki, M., Walker, M., Weston, R., Wright, M. (2022). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing during the Evolving COVID-19 Pandemic: An Issues Paper. Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing Grant, The University of Western Australia, Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.
SUMMARY
In December 2021, a national virtual Roundtable was held to discuss the continuing and
evolving impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB). This Report represents the voices of 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and allies from across Australia, and with international representation from Aotearoa – New Zealand, Turtle Island (USA), and Canada, who convened as part of the Roundtable. Attendees included mental health and SEWB experts, community leaders, academics, service providers, and representatives from the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector.
In this report, we identify five key mental health and SEWB issues arising from the pandemic. In doing so, we consider the actions to effectively address these issues and support health and healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This report builds upon the evidence from an earlier Roundtable which was convened in May 2020