The Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies has identified regional drug-related issues at the NSW Drug Summit. Photo: NSW Primary Health Network.
The Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) has called for “meaningful reform” at the NSW Drug Summit Regional Forum in Griffith.
Following months of sustained advocacy, NADA CEO Dr Robert Stirling said the regional forum was an opportunity for the NSW Government to hear from Griffith and other regional service providers and understand the unique challenges facing the region.
“This regional forum is an opportunity to bring NSW drug policy into line with modern community expectations and address the stigma and discrimination toward people who use drugs and their families,” Dr Stirling said.
“We will have frontline service providers at the forum, like Directions Health Services, who can provide on-the-ground insights to the NSW Government so we can create meaningful change.
“Some 45 per cent of NADA’s members provide services across regional and rural NSW, so it’s incredibly important that their voices are heard during this process.”
Dr Stirling said there were significant gaps in terms of the geographical reach of services into remoter communities and this was one of the key issues raised at the forum.
“We will also strongly advocate for increased, longer term and more secure funding for our sector. Chronic underfunding has put our service providers on a knife edge and we cannot afford for these critical services to go under,” he said.
“The best health and wellbeing outcomes for all community members must be the priority, and we look forward to a productive and action-focused discussion that will lead to better outcomes for regional NSW.”
Directions Health Services CEO Bronwyn Hendry said: ”We will be focused on the need for progressive drug policies that take a health-first, harm reduction approach to drug use.”
“This includes decriminalisation and providing access to drug checking, along with better access to integrated services for people with co-occurring conditions, such as mental illness and drug use.
“If we can reduce the shame and stigma experienced by those with problematic drug use, we can intervene earlier and prevent or reduce the harms experienced.”
The NSW Drug Summit Regional Forum was held in Griffith on Friday (1 November).
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