Aboriginal Community Housing in Kempsey is one of twelve organisations funded by the NSW Government to add alcohol and other drug treatment and support to their existing community services.
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The community centre in West Kempsey will use their share of the funding by NSW Government to cover the wages of a councillor for improved access to support to people at risk of harm from alcohol and drug in the area.
The councillor will be available from August 1 2024 for discussions and referrals to members of the public.
Aboriginal Community Housing was the only non-medical organisation to be awarded the funding, which the organisation applied for as a result of community feedback requesting further assistance.
"It's part of a revitalisation program for the community," Community Developer Manager Steve Neale said.
Twelve not-for-profit organisations, including the Kempsey centre, will receive a share of $33.9 million over four years to deliver new, wrap-around alcohol and other drug support services,
The funding is part of the NSW Government's response to the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Drug 'Ice'.
Six organisations are funded to add access to AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) treatment and support to their existing community services. These include:
- Aboriginal Community Housing, Kempsey
- The Buttery, Nimbin
- Grand Pacific Health, Queanbeyan
- Gandangara Health Service Ltd, South Western Sydney
- Bill Crews Foundation, Ashfield
- Mission Australia, Sydney
A further six organisations are funded to launch new AOD hubs to specifically meet the needs of priority populations in regional and rural NSW and include:
- Australian Community Support Organisation, Shellharbour
- Directions Health Services, Bega and Eden
- Orange Aboriginal Medical Service
- Social Futures, Singleton
- St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Armidale
- The Salvation Army, Wagga Wagga
NSW Health Minister Ryan Parks says the new alcohol and other drug hubs will boost access to much needed support services, particularly in regional and rural areas and for priority populations.
"They will provide welcoming, culturally safe environments and tailored treatment options to support people affected by alcohol and other drugs, and their families, to achieve enhanced quality of life."
Drug Summit
The NSW Government has also announced the dates for a Drug Summit, comprised of two days of regional forums in October 2024 and two days of forums in Sydney on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 December.
It will bring together medical experts, police, people with lived and living experience, drug user organisations, families, and other stakeholders to provide a range of perspectives and build consensus on the way NSW deals with drug use and harms.
"We know that drug use impacts individuals, families and communities in many different ways. The drug summit will bring people together to find new ways forward to tackle this incredibly complex and difficult problem," NSW Premier Chris Minns said.
Those wishing to utilise the new local program can contact Aboriginal Community Housing or pop into the centre at 34 Gordon Nixon Avenue, West Kempsey.
