Drug
Summit:
What
Can We Expect From The Government's Plan Of
Action
Tony
Trimingham
ref:
September 99 Heroinsight
THE
FIRST COMMENT has to be that the Premier and
government have committed themselves to implementing
the resolutions of the Drug Summit across the
board. Backing up their promises with real money
should see an impact on all the problems associated
with illicit drugs. On behalf of the members
of Family Drug Support I applaud the Parliament
for this process and while we will be vigilant
in following up on the implementation of the
action plan and continuing to highlight areas
of need, we have to say that this summit has
produced extremely positive outcomes.
Below
is a summary of the major commitments:
Prevention
is catered for with a commitment of $54.2 million
to the Families First program this is an early
intervention initiative which provides information
and support in the early years of childhood.
Other prevention strategies include emergency
short to medium term accommodation for families
and young people, media code of conduct to ensure
responsible reporting on drug issues (about
time!), skills development for professional
workers, establishment of community Drug Action
Teams.
Young
people and drug use issues are provided with
a holistic set of strategies that encompass
prevention, minimisation and management of harm.
Families, peer groups, schools and communities
are included in the process.
Specific
strategies include a pilot Children's Drug Court
for two years, treatment facilities including
residential rehabs at Dubbo and the mid North
Coast, expansion of home detox services and
implementation of cannabis treatment programs.
Mentoring
and peer education will also be strategies to
target youth drug users.
An
adolescent telephone line will be established
along with other information services via websites,
etc.
In
regard to health maintenance and treatment services
there will be an emphasis on rural and regional
NSW as well as Western Sydney.
Specific
services include Western Sydney Youth Treatment
Service run by Ted Noffs Foundation at Cumberland
Hospital, Lismore Detox Centre, comprehensive
D & A service in Redfern, home detox services
on the Central Coast, special rehab unit at
Long Bay Gaol, detox units for Wentworth area
and Central Coast area, eight new D & A
counsellors for rural NSW and new services in
New England, Mid North Coast and South Western
Sydney.
Methadone
services to be expanded via the public sector,
pharmacists and GPs.
Training
programs for GPs, nurses, pharmacists and other
health professionals.
Quality
regulation and data collection to be improved.
Provision
is made for funding for telephone information
systems including a family support line ????
(We trust this will be our service.)
We
all, of course, know about the establishment
of a supervised injecting facility at St Vincent's.
Hooray! For all the families struggling to keep
their loved ones alive, this is both a real
and symbolic recognition that life maintenance
is an essential part of drug treatment strategies.
Three
regions will receive funding for pilot Support
Co-ordination programs. This means that various
services will be integrated to support people
involved in the trials. Health, education, legal
advise, housing, family support, child care
and protection, financial advice, employment
and training will also be included in the integrated
model.
Involvement
of family in the process will be a key feature
of this model, where appropriate.
Diversion
is to be a key strategy to move users away from
the criminal justice system and into treatment.
Adult
drug offenders to be dealt with via a Drug Offenders
Compulsory Treatment pilot in the Illawarra
and Far North Coast areas.
The
repeal of the self- administration and possession
of equipment which was agreed to at the Summit
will NOT be enacted at this time.
An
expert advisory body to the Premier and Ministers
will be established, compromising high level
independent experts. Wide range of other initiatives
in prisons, schools, training and treatment
as well as the special needs of rural and regional
communities.
So
there we have it most people will support the
majority of these proposals whatever philosophy
we have to drug issues. Certainly comprehensive,
wide- ranging and whilst we all would always
wish for more of everything, we genuinely ought
to get behind the implementation of this action
plan.
Members
of Family Drug Support can be justifiably proud
of the part our organisation has played in bringing
many of these drug issues to attention.
