Torres Strait Islander Young People Research Articles

The relationship between justice system non-involvement and the social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are highly overrepresented within the Australian justice system. Despite an increase in research and policies, it is still unclear which interventions, programs and policies are most effective. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) of Aboriginal young people and justice system non-involvement from a strengths-based perspective. The sample consisted of 725 Aboriginal adolescents aged 10–15 years who completed The Next Generation Project’s Youth Well-Being Study survey. Logistic regression was conducted to assess the SEWB factors associated with justice system non-involvement. It was found that self-rated good health, positive scores on the Prosocial Scale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and younger age were significant predictors of justice system non-involvement. Policies and programs focusing on systems level approaches to support wellbeing in young Aboriginal people are likely to be beneficial.

The Development of Elder-Governed Adjuvant Cultural Therapy for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Young People With Mental Health Conditions.

A 10-year review of the 2008 Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) Close the Gap Strategy identified the lack of involvement of Indigenous people in developing policies as a key reason health disparities persist. It also posits that disconnection from Country and culture have been crucial factors. Physical and mental health cannot be separated from spiritual health and well-being amongst Indigenous Australians. This article describes the co-development of a cultural enrichment research study with Indigenous Elders, health service leaders, and community members that places culture at the centre of care to augment traditional Western mental health management. The study has been overseen and nurtured from its inception by a governance board of Traditional Custodian Elders and an Advisory Group of Indigenous health workers. Qualitative data were collected through community 'zoom-yarns' between an Indigenous research assistant and 44 community members during COVID-19 lockdowns. These yarns were analysed through an innovative, constructivist, multi-perspectival discursive grounded theory method. Findings have led to an Elder-governed adjuvant cultural therapy which is currently being trialled and will be evaluated using the same multi-perspectival discursive grounded theory research methodology. One third of all Indigenous Australians now live in capital cities, so developing models to bring culture and Country into urban health facilities are becoming increasingly important. The Indigenous-led research approach outlined in this paper suggests a model for engaging Indigenous communities that mainly distrust Western research and have been failed by Western mental health care. It has the potential to shape future policy.

Codesigning enhanced models of care for Northern Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth with type 2 diabetes: study protocol

IntroductionPremature onset of type 2 diabetes and excess mortality are critical issues internationally, particularly in Indigenous populations. There is an urgent need for developmentally appropriate and culturally safe models of...

Our Ways, Your Ways, Both Ways - a multi-disciplinary collaboration to develop, embed and evaluate a model of social and emotional wellbeing care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people who experience detention - Phase 1.

The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing identifies building a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led evidence-base to inform care as a key priority. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adolescents in contact with the criminal justice system are a highly vulnerable group of Australians, with substantial unmet needs. There is limited evidence to inform culturally appropriate models of care that meet the social and emotional wellbeing needs of justice-involved Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adolescents. This project aims to develop, implement and evaluate an in-reach and community transitional model of social and emotional wellbeing care for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adolescents (10-17 years old) who experience detention through close engagement with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth, Elders, researchers, practitioners and community members, and by drawing on culturally informed practice and knowledge systems. The project is based on a multi-level mixed methods design, with a strong focus on ongoing project evaluation (based on the Ngaa-bi-nya framework) and co-design. Co-design is facilitated through culturally safe and trauma informed participatory processes based on development of strong partnerships from project initiative, design, implementation and evaluation. Application of the landscape domain of the Ngaa-bi-nya framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program evaluation will be explored in Phase one. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents with experience in detention will be engaged through one-on-one interviews with data collection through the Growth and Empowerment Measure (GEM) Youth (which will be adapted from the adult version and validated as part of this study), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), questions around alcohol and drug use, and narrative interviews exploring experience. Qualitative data will be analyzed using an inductive thematic approach, structured within the framework of the Ngaa-bi-nya landscape prompts. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics to provide a profile of the cohort. Findings from Phase one will be used to inform the development of a model of social and emotional wellbeing care that will be implemented and evaluated in Phase two.

Aboriginal young people’s perspectives and experiences of accessing sexual health services and sex education in Australia: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) young people seek information and access health services for their sexual health needs. This study examined Aboriginal young people’s perspectives on sexual health services and sex education in Australia. Overall, 51 Aboriginal people aged 16–26 years were interviewed by peer researchers in Sydney, Australia in 2019–2020. The findings suggest that the internet was used to assess information quickly and confidentially, but Aboriginal young people questioned its reliability and accuracy. Family, Elders and peers were seen as sources of advice because they had real-life experience and highlighted intergenerational learning that occurs in Aboriginal communities. School-based sex education programmes had mixed reviews, with a preference for programmes delivered by external specialists providing anonymity, clear and accurate information about sex and relationships and positive approaches to sex education, including how to gain consent before sex. There was a need identified for school-based programmes to better consider the needs of Aboriginal young people, including those who identified as LGBTQI + . Aboriginal Medical Services were highly valued for providing culturally safe access to services, while sexual health clinics were valued for providing specialised confidential clinical services with low levels of judgement.

Integrating testing for sexually transmissible infections into annual health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people: a cross-sectional analysis.

In the context of an expanding syphilis epidemic, we assessed the integration of sexually transmissible infection (STI) testing within annual health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 16-29years in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services between 2018 and 2020. Using routinely collected electronic medical record data from a national sentinel surveillance system (ATLAS), we performed a cross-sectional analysis to calculate the proportion of assessments that integrated any or all of the tests for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and HIV. We used logistic regression to identify correlates of integration of any STI test. Of the 13 892 assessments, 23.8% (95% CI 23.1, 24.6) integrated a test for any STI and 11.5% (95% CI 10.9, 12.0) included all four STIs. Of assessments that included a chlamydia/gonorrhoea test, 66.9% concurrently included a syphilis test. Integration of any STI test was associated with patients aged 20-24years (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.4) and 25-29years (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2) compared to 16-19years and patients residing in very remote (OR 4.2, 95% CI 3.7-4.8), remote (OR 2.4, 95% CI 2.1-2.8), and regional areas (OR 2.5, 95% CI 2.2-2.8) compared to metropolitan areas. There was no association with patient sex. Integration of STI testing into annual health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was higher in remote areas where disease burden is greatest. Integration is similar in men and women, which contrasts with most studies that have found higher testing in women.

YArnhem: Co-designing a model of social and emotional wellbeing stepped care for young people of the north east Arnhem region: A development study protocol.

More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people experience high or very high levels of psychological distress compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. This may be partly attributed to systemic barriers resulting in lower rates of help-seeking, sub-optimal identification of psychological challenges, and undertreatment. Reducing these barriers within health systems is an important factor in reducing the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) health burden on young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In partnership with Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation (Miwatj), this project will co-design an integrated youth Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) and mental health stepped care model for remote Aboriginal communities in the north east Arnhem region of the Northern Territory. A collaborative research approach using co-design methods will underpin a community-centric stepped care allocation method, to which culturally appropriate SEWB and mental health interventions and treatments are assigned. These components of the project will inform a digital platform which will facilitate access to SEWB care for young people in north east Arnhem land. This concept was co-developed in a partnership between researchers and Miwatj and builds on Miwatj's previous work to map the stepped needs of young people. The co-design of the content and features of these outputs will be facilitated through community participation and overseen by community, health, and cultural governance structures. This will ensure the solutions developed by the project are culturally responsive, fit for purpose, and will enhance self-determination while reducing systemic barriers to care.

“I Don’t Really Know What Diabetes Is”: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People Aged 10 to 25 Years Living With Type 2 Diabetes in Northern and Central Australia

ObjectiveOur aim in this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 25 years with type 2 diabetes (T2D) living in Northern and Central Australia. MethodsIn this qualitative study, we explored participants’ experiences of T2D using a social constructionist epistemology and a phenomenologic methodology. Twenty-seven young people participated in semistructured in-depth interviews from 4 primary health-care sites. ResultsThree major constructs emerged. Young people experienced a normalization–shame paradox in response to their diagnosis (partly related to that “everyone has diabetes,” as well as the fear that friends “might judge [me]”), had suboptimal levels of understanding of T2D (“I don’t really know what diabetes is. I just need somebody to explain to me a bit more”) and experienced multiple barriers inhibiting their T2D management. Barriers included complex lives (“I have a rheumatic heart disease […] then they told me that I have diabetes…I have two things”) and the availability of support (“[I] talk to my mum…I talk to my aunty too…I don’t talk to anyone else”). Successful management requires support from health professionals and family and includes strengthening social networks and educational opportunities. ConclusionsOur findings reinforce the need for alternative support systems tailored to the specific needs of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with T2D. Enhanced models of care must be codesigned with young people and their communities and include a focus on shifting norms and expectations about youth T2D to reduce diabetes stigma and broaden social support and consider the delivery of health information in youth-friendly environments.

Returning to the emergency department: a retrospective analysis of mental health re-presentations among young people in New South Wales, Australia

ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe mental health emergency department (ED) presentations among young people aged 8–26 years in New South Wales, Australia, and to identify key characteristics associated with higher...

Determining Priorities in the Aboriginal and Islander Mental Health Initiative for Youth App Second Phase Participatory Design Project: Qualitative Study and Narrative Literature Review.

BackgroundDigital mental health tools can promote access to culturally safe early intervention mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Participatory design methodology facilitates user engagement in the co-design of digital resources. However, several challenges have been identified that limit the methodological rigor of this approach.ObjectiveThis paper aims to present an in-depth account of the second phase of participatory design in the development of the Aboriginal and Islander Mental Health Initiative for Youth (AIMhi-Y) app.MethodsA first idea storyboard, generated from a formative phase of the AIMhi-Y project, was refined through a series of youth co-design workshops and meetings. A narrative review of the literature, 6 service provider interviews, and engagement with an expert reference group also informed the design process. Generative design activities, storyboarding, discussions, and voting strategies were used.ResultsThe participatory design process identified the app features preferred by young people and service providers and assessed their alignment with current recommendations from the scientific literature. Findings from the co-design process are presented across 9 app characteristic domains. Integration of findings into app design proved complex. Although most preferred features identified by young people were included to some degree, other inclusions were restricted by budget, time, and the need to integrate best practice recommendations. A process of prioritization was required.ConclusionsParticipatory design is often cited in the development of digital mental health resources; however, methods are diverse and often lack detailed descriptions. This study reports the outcomes and strategies used to determine priorities in the second phase of the development of the AIMhi-Y app. We provide an example and the key learnings to inform others seeking to use participatory design with a similar cohort.

Does community cultural connectedness reduce the influence of area disadvantage on Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander young peoples’ suicide?

ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine associations of community cultural connectedness with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples’ suicide rates in areas with elevated risk factors. MethodsAge‐specific suicide rates (ASSRs) were calculated using suicides recorded by the Queensland Suicide Register (QSR) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (aged 15–24 years) in Queensland from 2001–2015. Rate Ratios (RRs) compared young peoples’ suicide rates in areas with high and low levels of cultural connectedness indicators (cultural social capital and Indigenous language use) within areas with elevated risk factors (high rates of discrimination, low socioeconomic resources, and remoteness). ResultsWithin low socioeconomically resourced areas and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experienced more discrimination, greater engagement and involvement with cultural events, ceremonies and organisations was associated with 36% and 47% lower young peoples’ suicide rates respectively (RR=1.57, 95%CI=1.13–2.21, p=<0.01; RR=1.88, 95%CI=1.25–2.89, p=<0.01). Within remote and regional areas, higher levels of community language use was associated with 26% lower suicide rates (RR=1.35, 95%CI=1–1.93, p=0.04), and in communities experiencing more discrimination, language use was associated with 34% lower rates (RR=1.53, 95%CI=1.01–2.37, p=0.04). ConclusionCultural connectedness indicators were associated with lower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples’ suicide rates in communities experiencing the most disadvantage. Implications for public healthThis provides initial evidence for trialling and evaluating interventions using cultural practices and engagement to mitigate against the impacts of community risk factors on Aboriginal and Torres Islander suicide.

The impact of physical activity and sport programs on mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: A systematic review

Background: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people experience significantly poorer mental, social and emotional health disparities compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts as a result of sustained disadvantage and intergenerational trauma. The relationship between physical activity and sport participation and positive mental and psychosocial health in young people is well established, yet little is known about this relationship in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. This review aims to address this gap by systematically identifying and assessing existing evidence of the impact of sport and physical activity programs on mental health and social and emotional wellbeing outcomes within young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The review also aims to highlight limitations of current practice within the research area. Methods: A systematic search of literature was undertaken on three peer-reviewed databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE and SPORTSDiscus) and grey literature until July 2020. Studies were included if they described a sport and physical activity program for young (10-24 years) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and reported mental health or social and emotional wellbeing outcomes. Results: Seventeen studies were selected for this review. Within these studies, the most commonly reported outcomes were related to psychosocial development (N = 12) and a sense of connectedness (N = 12). Mental illness related outcomes (N = 1) were rarely reported, as were substance use (N = 2) and social and emotional literacy (N = 1). Other promising outcomes included increased connection to culture, self-esteem and confidence. Nonetheless, due to indirectness, suboptimal study design, and risk of bias, the precise impact on these outcomes cannot be determined. Discussion: A relevant evidence base is emerging on the impact sport and physical activity programs have on the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. However, further research that utilises robust, culturally appropriate methodologies and tools (e.g., participatory action research, body mapping and yarns) needs to be undertaken before the effects of sport and physical activity programs can reliably be discerned. Conflict of interest statement: My co-authors and I acknowledge that we have no conflict of interest relevant to the submission of this abstract.

Using web conferencing to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in research: a feasibility study

BackgroundWhile web conferencing technologies are being widely used in communication and collaboration, their uptake in conducting research field work has been relatively slow. The benefits that these technologies offer researchers for engaging with hard-to-reach populations are beginning to be recognised, however, the acceptability and feasibility of using web conferencing technology to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in research is unknown.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate whether the use of web conferencing to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in research is an acceptable and feasible alternative to conventional face-to-face methods.MethodsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged between 18 and 24 years were recruited via emails, flyers and snowballing to participate in an Online Yarning Circle (OYC) about wellbeing conducted via web conferencing. Five young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians were trained as peer facilitators and each conducted one or more OYCs with support from an experienced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher. The OYCs were recorded and the researchers conducted post-OYC interviews with the facilitators. OYC recordings, facilitator interviews and researchers’ reflections about the method were analysed to assess acceptability and feasibility for use with this population.Results11 OYCs were conducted with 21 participants. The evaluation focused on (a) acceptability of the method for participants and facilitators and (b) feasibility of data collection method and procedures for use in research. Our evaluation revealed good acceptability and feasibility of the method, with only minor challenges experienced, which were predominantly logistical in nature and related to scheduling, obtaining documentation of consent, and technical issues. These challenges were offset by the greater control over the level of engagement that was comfortable for individual participants and the greater ease with which they felt they could withdraw from participating. This shift in the traditional researcher-participant power dynamic was recognised by both participants and peer facilitators and was regarded as a support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people’s participation in research.ConclusionsThe use of web conferencing to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in research offers an acceptable and feasible alternative to face-to-face research methods. The benefits conferred by these technologies associated with yielding greater control and power to the research participant has broad relevance to research with marginalised populations.

Ngaga-dji, a call to action: education justice and youth imprisonment

This article takes up the challenge offered to educators, researchers and policy-makers in the Ngaga-dji report, to reflect on the ways in which services and institutions need to change to better support and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and their families and communities. Ngaga-dji, which means ‘hear me/hear us’ in the Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri people, was launched by the Koorie Youth Council in August 2018 and reports on the experiences of 42 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people from across Victoria who have had contact with the criminal justice system. With a focus on education, the article engages with the Ngaga-dji report to examine how educators and those involved in education might seek to change their practices. The solutions put forward in the report are also connected to international research on education and youth justice.

Suicide rates for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: the influence of community level cultural connectedness.

To examine associations between community cultural connectedness indicators and suicide mortality rates for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Retrospective mortality study. Suicide deaths of people aged 10-19 years recorded by the Queensland Suicide Register, 2001-2015. Age-standardised suicide death rates, by Indigenous status, sex, and age group; age-standardised suicide death rates for young First Nations people by area level remoteness and Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage, and by cultural connectedness indicators (at statistical area level 2): cultural social capital index score, community Indigenous language use, and reported discrimination. The age-specific suicide rate was 21.1 deaths per 100 000 persons/year for First Nations young people and 5.0 deaths per 100000 persons/year for non-Indigenous young people (rate ratio [RR], 4.3; 95% CI, 3.5-5.1). The rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was higher in areas with low levels of cultural social capital (greater participation of community members in cultural events, ceremonies, organisations, and community activities) than in areas classified as having high levels (RR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7), and also in communities with high levels of reported discrimination (RR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.7-4.3). Associations with proportions of Indigenous language speakers and area level socio-economic resource levels were not statistically significant. We found that suicide mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Queensland were influenced by community level culturally specific risk and protective factors. Our findings suggest that strategies for increasing community cultural connectedness at the community level and reducing institutional and personal discrimination could reduce suicide rates.

Implementing child and youth mental health services: early lessons from the Australian Primary Health Network Lead Site Project

AimPrimary mental health care services play an important role in prevention and early intervention efforts to reduce the prevalence and impact of mental health problems amongst young people. This paper aimed to (1) investigate whether mental health services commissioned by Australia’s 31 Primary Health Networks provided accessible care and increasingly reached children and youth across Australia, and (2) identify the challenges of, and facilitating factors to, implementing services for youth with, or at risk of, severe mental illness (i.e., youth enhanced services) in 10 PHNs which acted as mental health reform leaders (i.e., Lead Sites).MethodsWe used mixed methods, sourcing data from: a national minimum data set that captured information on consumers and the services they received via all 31 PHNs from 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2017; consultations with Lead Site staff and their regional stakeholders; and observational data from two Lead Site meetings.ResultsMany children and youth receiving services were male and up to 10% were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young people. The majority of young people came from areas of greater disadvantage. For most children and youth receiving services their diagnosis was unknown, or they did not have a formal diagnosis. Both child and youth service uptake showed a modest increase over time. Six key themes emerged around the implementation of youth enhanced services: service access and gaps, workforce and expertise, funding and guidance, integrated and flexible service models, service promotion, and data collection, access and sharing.ConclusionsEarly findings suggest that PHN-commissioned services provide accessible care and increasingly reach children and youth. Learnings from stakeholders indicate that innovative and flexible service models in response to local youth mental health needs may be a key to success.

Substance use and help-seeking among justice-involved young people in Queensland and Western Australia: A cross-sectional survey of 14-17-year-olds.

This study investigated substance use and help-seeking among justice-involved young people to inform and improve service provision during and after contact with the justice system. Young people (14-17 years) in the community with current or prior contact with the justice system were recruited in Queensland and Western Australia, Australia using purposive sampling between 2016 and 2018. A cross-sectional survey was delivered by computer-assisted telephone interview. Information was collected on sociodemographic and health factors; lifetime and frequency of use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and use of health services related to substance use and mental health. Of the 465 justice-involved young people surveyed, most had used alcohol (89%), tobacco (86%) or other drugs (81%). Of the latter, cannabis use was most prevalent (79%), followed by ecstasy (26%) and amphetamine (22%). Young people engaging in higher risk drug use (daily use, injecting use) were more likely to also have an alcohol use disorder, be disengaged from education, unemployed, have attempted suicide and experienced incarceration. Of the cohort, 24% had received treatment at an alcohol and drug service in the past year and 30% had seen a health professional about emotional/behavioural problems. Males and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people were less likely to have sought professional help. The high levels of substance use and disproportionate levels of help-seeking observed in this study illustrate the importance of delivering tailored, comprehensive and coordinated trauma-informed and culturally safe alcohol and drug services to justice-involved young people.

Protecting human rights in youth detention: listening to the voices of children and young people in detention

ABSTRACT Human rights abuses and entrenched cultural problems have been exposed in youth detention centres across Australia in recent years. Australia’s recent commitment to a comprehensive system of human rights monitoring under the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture by January 2022 creates the opportunity to better protect rights. This includes ensuring that monitoring bodies overseeing youth justice detention engage effectively with the children and young people. It is widely recognised that these young people have commonly experienced significant disadvantage, and that the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in detention is an intergenerational legacy of the destruction wrought by colonisation. Monitoring methodologies must ensure that children and young people detained can participate in the monitoring process, and are protected from possible reprisals. This article will outline the legal background to these monitoring requirements and make practical recommendations for effective monitoring in youth justice detention.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) young people leaving out-of-home care in Australia: A national scoping study

Indigenous children (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia) are known to be over-represented in many out-of-home care systems, particularly within the English-speaking world. But, to date, there has been little analysis of their specific experiences and pathways as they transition from care at 18 years of age and younger. This study, based on focus groups and interviews with 53 representatives of government departments, non-government organisations and Aboriginal community-controlled organisations across Australia, examined the numbers of Indigenous care leavers, their needs and outcomes, and associated policy and programs. Our project recommended a number of key policy and practice reforms pertaining to data collection, funding, and the provision of culturally appropriate services.

A scoping review about social and emotional wellbeing programs and services targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Australia: understanding the principles guiding promising practice

BackgroundMultiple culturally-oriented programs, services, and frameworks have emerged in recent decades to support the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) people in Australia. Although there are some common elements, principles, and methods, few attempts have been made to integrate them into a set of guidelines for policy and practice settings. This review aims to identify key practices adopted by programs and services that align with the principles of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017–2023.MethodsA comprehensive review of electronic databases and organisational websites was conducted to retrieve studies of relevance. Twenty-seven publications were included in the review. Next, we identified promising practices through a collaborative review process. We then used the principles articulated in the above-mentioned framework as the basis to complete a framework analysis. This enabled us to explore the alignment between current scholarship about SEWB programs and services with respect to the principles of the framework.ResultsWe found there was a strong alignment, with selected principles being effectively incorporated into most SEWB program and service delivery contexts. However, only one study incorporated all nine principles, using them as conceptual framework. Additionally, ‘capacity building’, ‘individual skill development’, and ‘development of maladaptive coping mechanisms’ were identified as common factors in SEWB program planning and delivery for Aboriginal people.ConclusionWe argue the selective application of nationally agreed principles in SEWB programs and services, alongside a paucity of scholarship relating to promising practices in young people-oriented SEWB programs and services, are two areas that need the urgent attention of commissioners and service providers tasked with funding, planning, and implementing SEWB programs and services for Aboriginal people. Embedding robust participatory action research and evaluation approaches into the design of such services and programs will help to build the necessary evidence-base to achieve improved SEWB health outcomes among Aboriginal people, particularly young people with severe and complex mental health needs.