The Coalition Government will help continue the Caboolture region’s ongoing fight against the scourge of drugs and alcohol, particularly ice.
The Former Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, and the Member for Longman, Terry Young, today announced (April 2022) an additional investment of more than $5.4 million to continue successful drug and alcohol treatment services delivered by Lives Lived Well in Caboolture, in the Moreton Bay region.
The funding forms part of the Coalition Government’s $27.9 million investment to support critical drug and alcohol treatment projects in areas of identified need across Australia. This funding boost is particularly welcomed given Caboolture has just been designated as a priority area for GP recruitment.
This initiative complements the Government’s $315 million extension of the National Ice Action Strategy over the next four years to continue critical drug and alcohol prevention, treatment and research.
“The Coalition Government is committed to reducing the impacts of drug and alcohol use on Australian individuals, families and communities,” Minister Hunt said.
“Lives Lived Well continues to do great work in helping turn around the lives of people struggling with drug and alcohol use. In 2020-21 alone, the organisation helped more than 25,000 people with substance use issues across Queensland and New South Wales.
“Lives Lived Well is achieving tangible results for the people it is working with, who have substantially reduced their use of alcohol and other drugs.
“The Caboolture region is a case in point. On average, participants in the Lives Lived Well Caboolture programs had a 25% reduction in generalised anxiety and depression scores, and substantial reductions in alcohol and other drug use – 41% for alcohol, 48% for methamphetamine, and 22% for cannabis.”
Member for Longman, Terry Young, said the funding would enable the continuation of important frontline services in Caboolture and the surrounding region.
These include the Caboolture residential rehabilitation project, Withdrawal Support Service, Day Rehabilitation Service, and Demand Management Service.
“Lives Lived Well has met a growing demand in the Caboolture community for help to reduce the impact of drugs and alcohol, with the number of clients almost doubling in
2019-20,” Mr Young said.
“Since starting in 2018, the three non-residential programs have successfully reached more than 1,700 people in the local community with drug and alcohol use issues. A further 278 people have undertaken the residential rehabilitation program, which has had an average occupancy rate of 90%.”
Through its national Drug and Alcohol Program, the Coalition Government is providing more than $870 million over four years from 1 July 2022 to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol use on individuals, families and communities.