Three federal government ministers will sit down with Indigenous leaders and mental health advocates on Wednesday to tackle Indigenous mental health, which they say is the nation's "most confronting health challenge".
Health Minister Sussan Ley, Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash and Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion will meet 17 mental health advocates and seven respected Indigenous health leaders at Parliament House to discuss reducing the suicide rates of Indigenous people and associated mental health issues.
"The focus of the roundtable will be on how we can best reduce the incidence of mental health conditions and suicide, and improve social and emotional wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Senator Scullion said.
"Indigenous health remains this nation's most confronting health challenge, with mental health issues in need of urgent attention. We want this meeting to develop some clear, positive strategic direction," he said.
Suicide death rates among Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders are more than double those of non-Indigenous people living in the same areas.
[For more of this story, written by Sarah Whyte, go to http://www.smh.com.au/federal-...3.html#ixzz3gYO6HK6n]
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