Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health facts for kids

The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, often called OATSIH, was a special part of the Australian Government. It was set up in 1994 to focus more on the health needs of Indigenous Australians. This means it helped make sure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had better access to health programs.

In 1995, OATSIH took over the job of giving money to health services run by Aboriginal communities. These services help people stay healthy and get the care they need. Before this, another group called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) managed these funds.

OATSIH's main goal was to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples get good primary health care. This includes regular doctor visits and other basic health services. They wanted to make sure people received coordinated medical care and learned how to stay healthy. This helped prevent illnesses, find problems early, and manage diseases effectively.

What Was OATSIH?

OATSIH was a division within the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing. Think of it as a special team within the government that focused only on health for Indigenous Australians. It started in 1994.

How OATSIH Helped Indigenous Health

When OATSIH began, its main job was to make sure that health programs included the specific needs of Indigenous Australians. This was important because Indigenous communities often faced different health challenges.

On 1 July 1995, OATSIH took on a bigger role. It became responsible for giving money to health services that were run by and for Aboriginal communities. These services are very important because they understand the unique needs of their people.

OATSIH's Main Goals

The long-term plan for OATSIH was to improve how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples could get health care. They worked to provide complete primary health care services. This means they aimed to offer many types of health support in one place.

Their goal was to provide organized medical care. They also focused on looking after the health of whole communities. This included teaching people how to stay healthy and promoting good health habits. These efforts helped prevent people from getting sick. They also helped find health problems early and manage diseases well.

What Happened to OATSIH?

Before 2019, OATSIH became part of the larger Department of Health. This department continues to fund programs that help improve health for Indigenous Australians. These programs are part of a bigger plan called the Closing the Gap strategy. This strategy aims to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians in many areas, including health.