Health Minister launches expanded home-based detoxification service

4/12/02
A home-based drug and alcohol detoxification service has been expanded with support from the State Government and St John of God Health Care to cater for more people throughout the metropolitan area.
Health Minister Bob Kucera, who launched the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network today, said the original pilot service had only operated in the northern suburbs.
The expanded service - funded with a $300,000 State Government contribution and $150,000 from the Sisters of St John of God - will now cover the entire metropolitan area.
St John of God Health Care funded the original home-based and outpatient detoxification service until March this year with $285,000 from the Sisters of St John of God.
The service was offered to clients who lived within the boundaries of the North Metropolitan Community Drug Service team managed by St John of God Health Care.
"As a result of the Community Drug Summit, the program has been expanded - enabling the provision of a home-based service through a network of community nurses based at Community Drug Service teams across the metropolitan area," Mr Kucera said.
The program allows nurses to work with local GPs to provide a home-based withdrawal service and helps guide clients into withdrawal and counselling services.
At present nurses are located at Community Drug Service teams based in Fremantle, Subiaco, Midland and Cannington.
"The likelihood of continuing treatment, which is a key indicator of successful detoxification, is maximised by providing the withdrawal service in conjunction with the Community Drug Service teams," the Minister said.
The many benefits of home-based detoxification include:

• strengthening support to GPs in the detoxification and treatment of clients;
• managing and supporting clients in their home environment where they are most comfortable;
• providing parental, family or carer support at a crucial stage of drug treatment;
• engaging a greater proportion of clients in follow-up treatment; and
• maximising the value of drug program funding.