Health and Community Services Directorate

• Director-General: Catherine Rule (Interim)
• Deputy Director-General: appointment to be confirmed

Health

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships – gives advice and support to help make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health a priority
• ACT Government Analytical Laboratory – does scientific testing to check food, water and air safety, and supports public health investigations
• Clinical Placement Office – arranges clinical placements for students and trainees
• Disease surveillance and public health response – tracks and investigates disease outbreaks to stop them spreading
• HealthStats ACT – shares health statistics and reports to support policy, planning and community awareness
• Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing – works with the community, carers and clinicians to improve mental health services and support
• Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer – gives advice on the allied health workforce and supports allied health staff
• Office of the Chief Medical Officer – provides medical advice on workforce, quality and safety in the health system
• Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer – gives nursing and midwifery advice on local and national issues
• Office of the Chief Psychiatrist – improves mental health care through monitoring, investigations and reports
• Office of General Practice and Primary Care – links policy, research and education to strengthen primary care
• Pharmaceutical Services – makes sure medicines and poisons are used safely in the ACT
• Population Health – runs programs that protect and improve community health

Community services

• Housing ACT – helps people find safe and stable housing
• Child and Family Centres – offer free programs and advice to support children and families
• Child Development Service – provides assessments and early therapy for young children
• Aboriginal Service Development – works with community organisations to deliver services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Office for Disability – gives advice to support the rights and inclusion of people with disability
• Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs – leads work across government on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Office of LGBTIQA+ Affairs – supports inclusion and equity for LGBTIQA+ communities
• Office for Seniors – develops policy to support older Canberrans with mobility, safety and staying connected
• Office for Women – leads policy and programs to improve women’s safety, rights and participation
• Office for Multicultural Affairs – supports multicultural communities through policy and programs
• Office for Youth Engagement – helps make sure young people are heard in decisions that affect them
• Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Office – leads work to prevent and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence
• Child and Youth Protection Services – supports children, young people and families who need care or justice services
• Office for Veterans – gives advice on issues affecting veterans and helps make Canberra more inclusive
• Office of the Senior Practitioner – works to stop the use of restrictive practices in services and care settings
• Regulation, Assurance and Quality – checks how care, disability and housing services are run and handles complaints
• Commissioning community services – designs, funds and delivers services based on what the community needs

Members are formally appointed by a minister. They follow approved terms of reference and advise on topics linked to a minister’s role.

• Child and Family Reform Ministerial Advisory Council – advises on ways to improve life for children, young people and families. Supports the Next Steps for Our Kids strategy.
• Ministerial Council on Ageing – advises on policies for older Canberrans, focusing on ageing well and reducing ageism.
• Ministerial Advisory Council on Women – focuses on safety, health, leadership and equality for women, girls and gender-diverse people.
• Ministerial Advisory Council for Multiculturalism – advises on inclusion, services and policies for multicultural communities. Supports the Multiculturalism Act 2023.
• Ministerial Advisory Council for Veterans and their Families – supports better policies for veterans and their families, focusing on recognition, access to services and community connection.
• LGBTIQA+ Affairs Ministerial Advisory Council – advises on issues affecting LGBTIQA+ communities in the ACT.
• ACT Youth Advisory Council –  provides strategic advice to the Minister on issues affecting young people and provides a link between young people and the Minister

Members are chosen for their knowledge or experience. These groups help improve how services and systems are designed and delivered.

• ACT Health System Council – advises on how ACT health services work together. Focuses on planning and system performance.
• ACT Mental Health Advisory Council – advises the Minister and Coordinator-General on mental health reform, services and wellbeing.
• Domestic Violence Prevention Council – brings together government, justice and community members to guide responses to domestic and family violence.
• Disability Justice Reference Group – gives advice on making the justice system more accessible for people with disability.

These groups review progress, monitor reforms or identify problems in systems. Members are formally appointed.

• Children and Young People Death Review Committee – reviews child and youth deaths in the ACT and recommends system changes.
• Our Booris Our Way Implementation Oversight Committee – tracks progress on reducing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in child protection.
• Strengthening Practice Committee – helps improve how child protection is done, focusing on quality, culture and learning.

Members are elected, nominated or chosen to represent their community. They bring real-life experience and cultural knowledge.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body – gives a democratic voice to First Nations peoples in the ACT. Advises on policies and programs that affect their communities.
• ACT Disability Reference Group – advises on policies to support inclusion, access and fairness for people with disability.
• United Ngunnawal Elders Council – provides cultural advice on land and heritage. Members come from Ngunnawal family groups.
• ACT Youth Assembly – run every 2 years for Canberrans aged 12 to 25 to discuss how to advance youth issues and share their ideas with government.
• The Tenants’ Consultative Group – public and community housing tenants provide ideas and feedback to help improve public housing for all tenants.

Members are chosen for their qualifications or specialist knowledge. They give advice on clinical, scientific or professional issues.

• Canberra Region Medical Education Council – supports postgraduate medical education and training in the ACT.
• Clinical Leadership Forum – gives independent clinical advice to improve ACT-wide health service planning and delivery.
• ACT and SNSW end of life and palliative care research collaborative – does research to improve care for people at the end of life in the ACT and Southern NSW.