Drug treatment pioneer in new role

One of Victoria’s leading drugs and youth experts, Paul McDonald, has been appointed to develop and implement new, improved programs for the control of drugs in Victoria.

Mr McDonald, 41, is the new Department of Human Services’ Public Health Division Drugs Policy and Services Assistant Director.

Announcing the appointment, Public Health Division Director John Catford said Mr McDonald has been extremely well known as the Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Substance Abuse Service since its formation in 1997.

‘He was responsible for establishing and leading this Statewide service dealing with problematic drug issues for 12 to 21-year-olds.

‘Mr McDonald brings a wealth of knowledge, insights, experience and networks as well as commitment and passion to the challenge of drugs and related health issues within our communities.

‘The Department is very lucky to have attracted someone of Mr McDonald’s calibre,’ Dr Catford said.

YSAS won the 2000 Victorian Award for Innovation in Public Health Delivery.

Mr McDonald’s previous roles have included Council to Homeless Persons CEO, Crossroads Salvation Army Director and St Kilda Crisis Contact Services Program Director.

The Public Health Division of the Department has been re-structured as the lead agency in the State Government’s recently-announced $77 million Saving Lives initiative to fight the drug problem.

Mr McDonald will lead a new team of health professionals, drugs experts, program managers and health promotion specialists responsible for implementing the Government’s strategies on tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and related health areas including HIV and AIDS.

The initiatives include 500 extra drug workers, 400 more treatment beds and a special police training unit.

Key parts of the Government’s strategy are:

• $11 million for prevention—including drug information nights for 16,000 parents, a media campaign to highlight where to get help and a separate campaign to prevent youth drug abuse—and $5 million for local community projects such as syringe collections;

• $29 million for rehabilitation including doubling the number of beds to 800, establishing new youth services to prevent relapse and rebuild lives, intensive drug treatment for 1,000 prisoners before and after release and 2,000 extra counselling sessions for families;

• $17 million to save lives—$13 million for drug hot spots to reduce overdose and public nuisance, six new mobile overdose response units and more outreach and primary health workers to treat and link overdose survivors to treatment and $600,000 for a Special Operations Group training unit to train police for situations with drug-affected people;

• $36 million (COAG funding) to divert 7,000 offenders found with small quantities of illicit drugs from the courts to drug treatment each year, defer sentencing for young offenders who agree to treatment and establish local community committees to improve local policing and community safety.