“These Local Drug Action Teams will provide a structure to unite communities so they can work together more effectively, They will drive community action to reduce demand for drugs such as ice and reduce the harm associated with alcohol and other drugs more broadly.
“Stronger prevention action will help individuals and families to avoid the destruction that ice is causing, especially in rural and regional communities.”
Minister for Health, Sussan Ley
A program to help local communities tackle the impact of ice through 220 community-based local action teams across Australia over the next four years was announced just before Xmas by the Minister for Health, Sussan Ley, as part of the National Ice Action Strategy.
She said that local councils, schools, police, youth services, primary health and treatment services, community groups, non-government organisations (NGOs) and community members would be eligible to be members of a Local Drug Action Team.
More info : http://adf.org.au/community/our-programs/local-drug-action-teams/
Funding of $19.2 million has been provided to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (formerly the Australian Drug Foundation) to administer the community-based action teams. Applications for communities wishing to form a local team opened (23 December 2016) and will close on 8 February 2017.
Ms Ley said development of community-based teams was a direct response to the Government’s National Ice Taskforce’s call for more locally-tailored strategies to address local issues to strengthen prevention activities and reduce demand for drugs such as ice.
There will be ongoing opportunities through 2017 and 2018 for communities who want to form teams but miss out in the first application process. The first group of 40 local community teams will be determined by early 2017.
Interested groups and individuals can find more information on the program on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s website.
The Local Drug Action Team initiative is part of the Australian Government’s investment of $298 million investment over four years to reduce the impact of drugs and alcohol.
Alcohol and Drug Foundation chief executive officer John Rogerson welcomed the partnership with the Australian Government.
“Building community partnerships to develop locally-based and locally-delivered solutions is the key to reducing alcohol and drug related harm,” he said.
“These community teams will be on the ground in your neighbourhood playing a key role in implementing unique prevention programs that are tailored to their community’s issues.
“They will also give much-needed support to those impacted by ice, other illegal drugs and alcohol.”
Ms Ley has also announced funding for expansion of a program run by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation to tackle illegal drugs by providing education and awareness programs through 1200 local sporting clubs.
The new program is an extension of the Foundation’s successful grass-roots Good Sports program, which encourages cultural change in behaviours and attitudes to drug and alcohol use in sporting clubs. The program has helped more than 7,000 clubs nationwide.
“People aged 20 to 29 years are among the highest users of illicit drugs and many people in this age group are also members of local sporting clubs,” Ms Ley said.
“This program will be an important part of encouraging these young people to talk about drugs, as well as providing information for people who might need help and support.”
For more information on Local Drug Action Teams see www.adf.org.au/ldat
For more information on Good Sports see www.adf.org.au/good-sports
and from Team NACCHO
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