New alcohol, other drug and ice treatment services for the Gold Coast region to be delivered by Lives Lived Well and QuIHN were launched on Tuesday January 24 after extensive community consultation.
Gold Coast Primary Health Network CEO Matt Carrodus announced the two new services, which will provide treatment and support, with a focus on the growing northern Gold Coast region, and an Indigenous organisation to provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This follows extensive consultation to determine what services were required.
“Through the Commonwealth Government investment under the National Ice Strategy, the Gold Coast has received $3.56 million over three years, to commission treatment services informed by local needs and priorities,” Mr Carrodus said.
“We have completed extensive engagement activities, meeting with more than 500 individuals and 200 organisations and closely worked with targeted groups to design the services most effective to support residents and provide the foundation for a sustainable local drug and alcohol treatment system into the future. We want to ensure that patients receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time, by the right person.”
“Local residents are encouraged to contact these organisations to determine what support options are available and referrals are also welcome from GPs and health and community organisations,” Mr Carrodus said.
Geoff Manu, General Manager of QuIHN, one of the new service providers, said it will provide support and treatment for alcohol and other drug use for young people and adults and individuals and families with co-occurring mental health and substance-related disorders.
“QuIHN will provide an outreach service across the northern Gold Coast and Southport areas and provide alcohol and other drug information, early and brief interventions, pre and post rehabilitation, group/day programs, case management, care coordination and relapse prevention,” Mr Manu said.
“We believe these much needed services will assist the local community to reduce the burden attributable to alcohol and other drugs misuse and improve health functioning and social well-being of individuals and in turn the communities in which they reside, while also assisting to reduce avoidable and unnecessary hospital presentations.”
Lives Lived Well CEO Mitchell Giles said their new service based at Nerang Neighbourhood Centre would give Gold Coast’s growing northern corridor community access to flexible care including individual and group therapy.
“People can drop-in rather than commit to a long rehabilitation program. They will receive person-centred support to help them ease into treatment, start tackling their problems, or get ongoing help post-treatment,” Mr Giles said.
“This stepped care approach allows us to help a broader range of people, particularly adults, to deal with alcohol and drug problems and mental health concerns – the aim is to customise services to people’s needs.”
Kalwun CEO Kieran Chilcott said Kalwun, together with Krurungal, are excited about providing a new Indigenous alcohol and other drugs (AoD) service.
“Kalwun and Krurungal will work collaboratively to meet the needs of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. This one-of-a-kind service has been co-designed with the local community, and provides a clinical and community-based AoD treatment response for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Chilcott said.
New Gold Coast Alcohol and Other Drug Services
QuIHN and Lives Lived Well will be providing professional drug and alcohol treatment and support services for people living in the northern Gold Coast region. (From Nerang, Southport and north to Ormeau)
This includes:
- Mobile outreach service options
- Improved linkages
- Face-to-face support, therapy and drop in opportunities.
Contact Lives Lived Well Nerang service hub
Phone: 1300 727 957
Address: 29 Martin Street, Nerang (Located at the rear of the Nerang Neighbourhood Centre)
For all media enquiries contact:
Michelle Saftich – Marketing & Media Officer e [email protected] or [email protected]
