The March issue of the SSH incorrectly stated that the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority supports a “wet” centre in Redfern as part of a
range of actions to address the needs of street drinkers and other people with
alcohol issues. In actual fact the reverse is the case. For almost two years,
the RWA and the City of Sydney have been
actively seeking Commonwealth support for a “dry” alcohol support service for
men in Redfern and Waterloo.
A “dry” alcohol support service does not allow drinking on the premises,
actively works to divert people from drinking toward other activities and
provides a range of incentives for drinkers to reduce alcohol consumption to
safer levels or abstain all together. Support for a dry alcohol support service
is based on the need to address well-recognised major service gaps, expert
advice on the merits of the dry alcohol support service model over the wet
centre approach and feedback from local community service providers, individuals
and street drinkers.
On the basis of this advice, the RWA and the City of Sydney developed a
proposal for a dry alcohol support service which uses targeted support and
intervention strategies and provides clear referral pathways to health, family
and other support services and to culturally specific supports. The proposal is
consistent with current best practice in the provision of support for people
with either a chronic alcohol addiction or other alcohol-related issues.
Clients would be provided with opportunities to recover from alcohol dependence
and be encouraged to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The consumption of alcohol
would NOT be permitted on the premises, however men with an active dependence
on alcohol who are not ready to stop drinking would not be excluded from the
service. The local community would be encouraged to have a sense of ownership
of the centre and to actively participate in its operation and management.
A submission seeking Commonwealth Department of Health and
Ageing support for a trial of the dry alcohol support service was forwarded by
the City of Sydney
and the RWA in November 2006. The proposal indicated that the service would be
operated by a nongovernment service or consortium of services, selected by
tender on the basis of demonstrated expertise and capacity to effectively run
this service in the local area. Unfortunately, the Department of Health and
Ageing declined to support the proposal. It was however referred on to a wider
whole-of-government assessment process in October 2007. The outcome of this
assessment process will determine if the trial of this much-needed service can
proceed.
Don Stewart
Human Services
Redfern-Waterloo Authority
Source: South Sydney Herald April 2008 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au