Local Drug Action Teams (LDATs) in Dunkley are close to making their impact on the community, four months after their initial formation.
Community engagement from Chris Crewther MP, and the LDATs has already taken place, with the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Resource Guide distributed to every household in the Dunkley electorate.
Mr Crewther said if LDATs prove to be successful in Dunkley, the planning stages for other LDATs can occur elsewhere.
“We’ve forwarded [the AOD Guide] on to Greg Hunt’s office to consider sending it to everyone in the Flinders electorate,” Mr Crewther said.
Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, announced the formation of the LDATs with Mr Crewther last April, along with a $40,000 grant which remains exclusive to the Dunkley LDATs.
The initial grant will help strengthen drug prevention efforts by connecting families at risk to 95 sporting clubs in the area.
“Sport is one of the key ways we can help prevent drug and alcohol use if users [are] engaged, along with providing education and engagement,” Mr Crewther said.
More than 160 partnerships between local councils, schools and police have been established to further minimise the potential for substance abuse.
“It’s centralised to a local level, so it’s led by local people who can come up with their own local programs, but under a uniform national approach.”
The establishment of the LDATs is part of the Federal Government’s $298 million plan to combat alcohol and drug abuse in Australia.
While the LDAT could not comment as one body, an Alcohol & Drug Foundation representative said the LDATs were created as a form of “long-term primary prevention”.
“It’s not an overnight fix,” said the representative.
Statistics to show the success of the of the LDATs are expected to be finalised within six to 12 months.
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