Project description

• To establish a medium term residential drug and alcohol treatment service in the Western Sydney region for young people.

Rationale/Need

• In response to the increasing drug problem in Western Sydney, the Premier announced in 1997 the commitment of funds to establish a new drug and alcohol residential treatment centre for adolescents in the greater Western Sydney region.

• The Ted Noffs Foundation won the tender for this service and established Palm West drug and alcohol treatment services for youth.

Intended outcomes

The service provides an 8-12 week medium term residential program for 8 -12 young people experiencing drug dependency problems. It aims to:

• Reduce the drug use of young people participating in the program.

• Improve the health outcomes of clients of the service.

• Increase access to treatment services for young people.

• Facilitate the diversion of juveniles from the criminal justice system.

• Reduce participation in crime.

• Improve the social and life skills, and increase access to vocational education and training for clients in order to maintain links with the community.

Development/ Implementation

• Interim service commenced operations at Cumberland Hospital on 10th July 2000.

• 62 admissions to the program since July 2000 (46 males and 16 girls).

• Arrangement with Youth Drug Courts program to provide assessment and stabilisation program, with allocation of 2 beds in January 2001.

• Within the Drug Court program there has been a total of 8 admissions (7 male & 1 female).

PalmWEST Success Story

"Steve" at age 17 was not doing well in Year 12, and was in the second year of heavy alcohol and cannabis use (10 cones per day).

His drug use was financed by property break and enters and bag snatching. He displayed violent and aggressive behaviour. Cannabis psychosis was being addressed by a psychiatrist

Due to the disruption to his family he was told to leave. He contacted Alcohol and Drug Information Service and was referred to PalmWEST.

He completed the three-month treatment program and his psychiatrist continued to assist.

He is now living at home and is drug free since leaving PalmWEST in January. He is studying computing at TAFE and has a part-time job. Through TAFE and sporting interests he has made new friends and no longer associates with the drug-using peer group of fast year.

He attends aftercare group sessions weekly and contacts the adolescent counsellor in PalmWest fortnightly for ongoing support