Community Drug Service Team to be set up - Kimberley

KIMBERLEY

31/10/97

The Kimberley is one of six country regions set to benefit from a new $2.3 million State Government initiative to expand and improve counselling and support services for families trying to deal with drug abuse.

The Minister Responsible for WA Drug Strategy, Rhonda Parker, said 10 Community Drug Service Teams would shortly be established across the State in both metropolitan and country areas. The teams would:

·      provide general alcohol and drug counselling services;

·      help co-ordinate service delivery from Government and private sector groups; and -

·      support local community action to prevent alcohol and drug abuse.

Mrs Parker said there would be six country teams established, each with three full-time workers, and four metropolitan teams, each with six full-time workers.

In the Kimberley, North West Mental Health Services has been awarded the $238,750 contract to establish a local team. North West Mental Health Services is a newly established service which is part of the Health Department of WA. It currently has a small staff of five, as well as access to psychiatrists, providing a range of mental health and some alcohol and drug services.

It is anticipated that the community drug service team members will be deployed in Broome, Derby and Kununurra.

Mrs Parker said the Alcohol and Drug Authority previously had two counsellors deployed in the Kimberley to provide a more limited counselling service. One of these positions would now be replaced with the three-person community drug service team, and the other position transferred to Aboriginal health.

As well as providing counselling for drug users and their families, Mrs Parker said the community drug service teams would have a particular focus on prevention.

"This will require that they work closely with local communities," she said.

"We now have 28 local drug action groups set up by concerned citizens in all parts of the State, and all have been effective in fostering greater drug awareness and local initiatives at a neighbourhood level.

"The community drug service teams will be made up of experienced professionals, and an important part of their work will be to work with concerned local residents to help coordinate and support their initiatives."

Priorities for the teams include early intervention and family support, support for schools dealing with drug abuse incidents, outreach counselling for youth, and attention to specific local problems (such as solvent abuse).

Mrs Parker said co-ordination would be another important function.

"There are necessarily a number of Government departments and agencies as well as private sector groups which must implement alcohol and drug strategies and who have clients with specific care needs," she said.

"It is important that we have effective co-ordination of these service providers so that resources are used most effectively, people needing assistance receive the best care, and specific local issues can be addressed."

Media contact: Mark Thompson 9481 7810