Tania provides a range of evidence-based psychological interventions to support mental health recovery. This, combined with Tania’s extensive knowledge of the health system and local services, enables her to help clients confidently navigate their care journey.

With over 30 years of nursing experience, Tania is able to support clients in both their physical and mental health, through a holistic approach. Special counselling interests for Tania include:

• depression and anxiety
• pain management
• pregnancy and postnatal (Medicare provider)
• smoking cessation (qualified Tobacco Treatment Specialist)
• addiction.

Tania’s diverse nursing career started in 1989 and has included peri-operative, community, general practice, nursing education, adolescent health, project management, mental health, and addiction nursing. In 2013 she discovered a passion for supporting people in their mental health and addiction journeys and went on to qualify as a credentialed mental health nurse after post-graduate study.

In addition to private practice, her counselling experience spans across a variety of treatment environments inclusive of inpatient, outreach, and community-based settings.

Tania has recently published Keep Calm and Treat Addiction: Your 12-step guide to client recovery to demystify addiction treatment, and equip others inclusive of psychologists, social workers, nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, counsellors, youth workers, support workers, and chaplains (to name a few) to feel confident in working with their current client base who are struggling with addiction.

As a senior clinician, Tania regularly shares the concepts outlined in her book with health service providers. Ultimately, it is Tania’s desire to increase the access of evidence-based support for those struggling with addiction and mental illness.

Find out more at www.taniakellyhealth.com

Northern Australia Primary Health Limited (NAPHL) delivers the program throughout northern Queensland. Without the program, many Indigenous people would struggle to access the health care they need to manage their chronic or complex health conditions.

The ITC Program was established to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with complex chronic diseases who are unable to effectively manage their conditions to access one-on-one assistance for the provision of coordinated, multidisciplinary care.

The program aims to contribute to better treatment and management of chronic conditions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people enrolled in the program and improve access to appropriate health care through care coordination and provision of supplementary services for eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic disease.

ITC also aims to foster collaboration and support between the mainstream primary care services to deliver culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Additionally, it aims to increase the uptake of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) items, including health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and follow-up claims.

Cody O’Brien, a 25-year-old Townsville man, receives support from the ITC Program through NAPHL and said looking after his health would be much harder without the support of the ITC Program.

“They’ve really given me a huge hand with what I need and what they’ve done, especially in the way of health and transportation and being able to set things up like my appointments,” he said.

“It’s been really helpful because before I’d have to get the bus. I’d have to time it right to go to the bus stop.

“Without you guys (ITC Team) there I’d probably be missing appointments by 10 to 20 minutes. Sometimes I wouldn’t even be able to go to my appointment.

“I’ve also got motion sickness so it’s a pain going around travelling on buses.”

Cody has severe epilepsy which makes it unsafe for him to be alone for any longer than an hour. It affects all areas of his life, from his favourite hobby playing sports to his work in hospitality at the local stadium. So far Cody has already had two massive seizures this year.

The epilepsy also means Cody is unable to hold a license, which is why transport to appointments is so important.

Along with the transport, the ITC Program has helped connect Cody with other services to improve all aspects of his health, including dietetics, podiatry, optical, and hospital specialists.

“It’s allowed me to get different types of appointments,” Cody said.

“I was recently diagnosed with diabetes so I’ve been sent to see a dietitian and a physician to talk about cutting down on my food, especially with the effects with what I can eat.

“Then I’ve also got sleep apnoea so I’ll be on that CPAP machine for the rest of my life. With what I get from Centrelink it wouldn’t have been enough anyway to help me in this case so I’m lucky I was put in this program and they’ve been able to help me.

“They’ve really helped me get some of the items that I need. Without them I would be totally unsafe.”

NAPHL Indigenous Outreach Worker Mettassa Zaro said Cody was referred to the ITC Program by his GP when it was clear that the Indigenous man needed some extra support to manage his health.

“Cody is really independent, but his chronic conditions make it difficult for him in certain areas such as getting to his medical appointments.

“At NAPHL, we’re working alongside the community to help overcome the disparity in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

“Our ITC Program funded by NQPHN helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people navigate the health system and access mainstream health services and support.

“Our Indigenous Outreach Workers and Care Coordinators play a vital role in ensuring clients get access to the healthcare they need.”

For more information visit www.naphl.com.au/indigenous-health

Young Indigenous artists from across North Queensland have been recognised for their outstanding efforts in Northern Queensland Primary Health Network’s (NQPHN’s) second annual Indigenous Youth Art Competition.

The competition—based on the theme of mental health—saw some inspirational artwork submitted by young and upcoming local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artists between the ages of 13–21 years.

There were a range of incredible submissions, resulting in gifted young artists from Cairns, Herberton, and Cooktown being awarded as the winners.

The first-place winner received an Apple iPad Pro 10.5” 64GB Wi-Fi and Apple Pencil, valued at $1,000. Second, third, and fourth place winners received gift vouchers for art supplies, valued at $500 and $250 respectively.

Among the many entrants, the well-deserving 2019 winners were:

• First place: Moniesha Wallace
• Second place: Tanisha Vincent
• Third place: Kashana Wallace
• Fourth place: Ronald Creek

NQPHN Board Director Suzanne Andrews said the NQPHN Board was delighted to see this initiative in its second year.

“NQPHN is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within our region,” Ms Andrews said.

“The competition is part of NQPHN’s commitment to support Indigenous youth, and a meaningful pathway towards inclusion of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“The judging panel thoroughly enjoyed perusing the artwork pieces, as well as reading the stories the artists had written.”

Moniesha Wallace from Cairns took out first place in this year’s competition for her beautifully illustrated artwork piece, titled Boundaries.

Moniesha, 19, said that her painting told a story of the connections we have with other people.

“It represents our boundaries, other people, and our thoughts,” Moniesha said.

“The thoughts are all coloured differently to portray happy, neutral, and negative thoughts.”

Tanisha, 18, titled her artwork Calling forward, looking back, and said it was a mixed media self-portrait based on the 2019 NAIDOC theme ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth.’

“My artwork shows me, an Indigenous woman, calling out to everyone to hear my voice,” Tanisha said.

“Surrounding me are vibrations of my ancestor’s echo, the ripples representing the past, present, and future.

“It expresses a social issue which is still remembered to this day by all Indigenous people.”

View the winning 2019 and 2018 artwork pieces at
www.nqphn.com.au/community-member/indigenous-youth-art-competition/previous-competition-winners