Coonamble Family Wellbeing Project

This project is a 12 month funded partnership between the Commonwealth of Australia (As represented by the Department of Health and Ageing) and Dubbo/Plains Division of General Practice.

Aim of the Project

The Coonamble Family Wellbeing Project has been created to foster family and community environments that promote family wellbeing and reduce the negative impacts of alcohol and substance misuse and family violence. The Coonamble Family Wellbeing Project is consistent with the aim of the Addressing Indigenous Needs – National Illicit Drugs Strategy – Capacity Building in Indigenous Communities Initiative which is to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to deal with problems related to drug and alcohol misuse.

The objectives of the project are to:

1. Develop an interagency model for family wellbeing and child development embedded in the Family Centred Primary Health Care framework in Coonamble;

2. Improve access to mainstream health services by the Aboriginal community; and work with agencies to develop and promote long-term change in the delivery of health, family and community services to promote child development and family wellbeing;

3. Develop a holistic approach to drug and alcohol use in the community through engagement with local Government, Community Working Party, Police, drug and alcohol services, youth services, other health and community service providers and the broader community; and

4. Improve the interface between drug and alcohol and other health services with family and community care services; promote productive relationships between service providers and the community.The Coonamble Family Wellbeing Project funding supports two positions; a Community Development Officer and a Case Manager. Information will be collected to map and evaluate the project to inform service provision. The Aboriginal Family Wellbeing Community Development Officer will develop strategies in consultation with the community and local agencies to address and reduce the negative impacts of alcohol and substance abuse and family violence within Coonamble. The Case Worker will develop family and community environments that promote family wellbeing and support and promote early childhood development in the Aboriginal Community. The Dubbo Plains Division of General Practice will work in collaboration with the Community Development Officer, Case Manager, the Coonamble community and external evaluator for service profiling and Project evaluation.