The Mallee Rehabilitation Centre is the first alcohol and other drug treatment facility for male prisoners in Western Australia and it will house up to 128 prisoners who want to break the cycle of addiction and drug-related offending.
Experienced service providers Palmerston Association and the Wungening Aboriginal Corporation will deliver the alcohol and other drug (AOD) recovery program at the new centre. The Solid Steps program is based on a culturally safe, modified therapeutic community model that is similar to the program run at the Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison for Women, which has remained drug free since it opened two years ago.
There are more than 30 male prisoners already signed up to the new Casuarina treatment program. Drug and alcohol addictions were found to have been at the heart of their past criminal offending and they have at least nine months of their sentence to serve.
Those taking part will live in a separate, customised unit isolated from the mainstream prison population where they will undertake intensive counselling and education focused on their recovery and successful reintegration back into the community.
They will be subject to regular drug testing and cell searches and have to commit to the principles of safety, trustworthiness and respect. Any breaches could jeopardise their place in the program.
Mallee Rehabilitation Centre prison officers were carefully selected and have undertaken rigorous AOD training provided by the Mental Health Commission to enable them to take on the additional role of case managing and supporting the program participants.
