Drug strategies take hold
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Brenda Irwin and Gordon Storey of Family Drug Help—the Statewide services for families affected by drug abuse—at the report release |
Premier Steve Bracks has announced $19 million of new drug initiatives after releasing a 12-month progress report showing the Government was on track with its three-year targets to reduce drug abuse.
‘We have introduced the most comprehensive drug initiative in the country significantly cutting waiting times and expanding drug services,’ Mr Bracks said.
‘In the last year, the average waiting time for drug treatment and rehabilitation programs has been reduced by 72 per cent and 8,000 problematic drug users have been linked to professional help.
‘This report card shows we are helping more people than ever to get off drugs and rebuild their lives by linking them with more effective treatment more quickly,’ Mr Bracks said.
Achievements in the first year of the Government’s $77 million Drug initiative include:
• A dramatic cut in waiting times for residential drug treatment withdrawal, falling from an average 11 working days to under four days;
• An increase in the number of alcohol and drug treatment beds by 244 to 676 with a total of 836 treatment beds expected by the end of 2002/03;
• The diversion of more than 1,450 people from the criminal justice system into drug education and treatment;
• Linking 49 per cent of seriously dependent heroin users to drug treatment;
• An effective drug education program in every Government school and the introduction of student welfare coordinators in 298 schools.
Subsidising the cost of methadone for under 18s and young people on juvenile justice orders and increasing childcare to allow more women and families to access drug treatment services, were among a boost for new treatment initiatives.
‘Increasing the number of GPs able to prescribe methadone or buprenorphine in the community and improving access to alternative treatments are an essential part of helping people to stay in drug treatment and prevent harm to themselves, their families and the community,’ Minister for Health John Thwaites said.
A $2 million boost to rural drug rehabilitation and treatment services, $1 million for a Koorie Drug and Alcohol Strategy and $4.8 million for the Premier’s Drug Prevention Council to fund new prevention programs are among other new measures.