Helen Milroy: pioneer in Indigenous and child mental health

Abstract

In 1983, Helen Milroy became Australia's first Indigenous doctor to qualify medicine—a pivotal moment in the country's history. She never envisioned being a trailblazer, but her list of firsts in Australia includes being the first Indigenous psychiatrist and the first Indigenous Commissioner to the Australian Football League. Reflecting today as the Stan Perron Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Perth Children's Hospital and the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Co-Director of Embrace at Telethon Kids Institute, she says: “My passion is to make sure we get the best wellbeing and mental health outcomes for our kids right across Australia.” Pat Dudgeon, Professor of Indigenous Psychology at UWA, recognises her contribution to strengthening support services for children's mental health, and comments: “Helen has created a bridge between Aboriginal and mainstream mental health and understandings. Her pioneering work developing cultural models of care and healing, using art and narratives alongside psychiatric concepts, has enabled her to combine Aboriginal and western knowledge systems to train and educate mental health workers all over the world.”