27/8/02
A purpose built facility, for the rehabilitation and treatment of young people having difficulties relating to their alcohol and drug use, has been opened in Carlisle.
Housing and Works Minister Tom Stephens said land had been made available for the Mission Australia facility through the Department of Housing and Works under their Community Housing Program (CAP).
CAP provides capital funds to build and buy crisis service premises such as women's refuges, night shelters and emergency accommodation for youth.
"These new premises for Yirra projects meet an urgent need for the relocation of Mission Australia's youth drug treatment programs," Mr Stephens said.
"This will secure the future viability of the program and the integration of services.
"The young people are voluntary participants, accommodated in the residential service and supervised 24 hours a day by residential youth workers."
Mr Stephens said that over the past 10 years the Yirra projects, previously managed by the Perth City Mission, had helped more than 4,500 young people.
"These young people are as young as 12 and up to 17 years of age, which makes the program the only one of its type in Perth offering this treatment exclusively to that age group," he said.
The Minister said the State's Drug and Alcohol Office provided a total of almost $445,000 a year to the Yirra program and a further $122,000 a year, through Commonwealth funds, to Yirra for police and court diversion treatment programs.
Yirra also received $175,000 in combined contributions from the State Department of Justice and Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and the National Illicit Drug Strategy.
"The Drug Summit provides many recommendations on which the Government has acted, and it has supported the establishment of a youth detoxification and respite centre with $750,000 in recurrent funding allocated to the project," Mr Stephens said.
The Department of Housing and Works commissioned architects Franco Carozzi to design the hostel and BGC Constructions to build it for $386,330.00.
Minister's Office - 9213 6500
