Transforming Clinical Coding for Mental Health and Social Wellbeing in Aboriginal Health Services

Mental health and social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) are central to comprehensive care in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS). Yet current clinical coding systems fail to capture the cultural and contextual complexity of SEWB, hindering service delivery, funding allocation, and advocacy.

With support from SPARRC, Dr Emma Carlin and her team convened a two-day workshop with over 40 participants to begin reimagining clinical coding through a culturally secure lens. The workshop revealed deep inconsistencies and confusion in current terminology and coding practices, highlighting the urgent need for frameworks that reflect Aboriginal models of health and healing.

This initiative has already begun to bear fruit. Workshop findings have been shared widely—downloaded over 170 times and distributed across national networks including CSIRO, NACCHO, AHCWA, and regional ACCHSs. The project also formed the foundation for a successful three-year Translational Health Fellowship funded by the Office of Medical Research Innovation.

“This work has sparked a movement. We’re now working directly with ACCHS, CSIRO, and other partners to co-design culturally relevant terminology that can transform care.” — Dr Emma Carlin

Next steps include co-producing a SEWB clinical terminology reference guide, integrating culturally secure concepts into SNOMED-CT systems, and supporting implementation across services. This will not only improve clinical documentation but also ensure that stories of strength, healing, and resilience are captured within health records in meaningful ways.