Mental Health Victoria calls for better supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability

Mental Health Victoria has responded to the Disability Royal Commission's issues paper on the experiences of First Nations people with disability.

Mental Health Victoria has called for a greater focus on the social and emotional wellbeing to better prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability.

The submission demonstrates the need for urgent improvements to the design and delivery of safe and effective wellbeing services, with a particular focus on holistic, self-determined models of care, as well as ongoing efforts to address the social, political, cultural and historical determinants of social and emotional wellbeing.

By safeguarding the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, we can not only support the recovery of victims after an experience of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, but can also help to prevent their occurence by addressing the underlying risk factors and vulnerabilities associated with psychosocial disability and social and emotional wellbeing challenges.

Read the full submission here.