State Government of Victoria releases new roadmap for alcohol and drug treatment services

News

State Government of Victoria releases new roadmap for alcohol and drug treatment services

15 June 2012

The Minister for Mental Health, Mary Wooldridge has released New directions for alcohol and drug treatment services: A roadmap to guide the reform of Victoria’s alcohol and drug treatment services.

Victoria’s alcohol and drug workforce is passionate, dedicated and committed to making a difference for their clients, but they are working within a fragmented system that hinders rather than facilitates their work.

The alcohol and drug treatment system needs to be transformed from providing complex and episodic services to one that supports people to make positive changes in their lives when they decide to seek help for an alcohol or drug problem.

The needs of people with alcohol and drug issues and their families have been central to the development of this reform framework.
Our reform priorities are to:

  • build models of care that are focused on recovery and family inclusion, particularly taking into account the needs of children
  • streamline treatment programs from over 20 types down to six, and redevelop the funding model so that services can provide individualised responses to clients
  • develop consistent, standardised assessment and needs identification to achieve an appropriate and comprehensive response to clients
  • foster effective treatment pathways by recommissioning alcohol and drug treatment services at an area level and connecting into a full range of services
  • build a workforce that recognises the current skills and expertise of employees in the sector and promotes the development of clinical, relationship and care-coordination capability.

Throughout this program of change, government and stakeholders will work together to design and implement improvements that make the alcohol and drug treatment system better for clients, better for families and better for communities.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.