23 May 2015

Michael Ferguson, Minister for Health

Proposals sought to deliver new drug and alcohol rehabilitation beds

The Hodgman Liberal Government has today advertised for proposals to deliver residential rehabilitation treatment services for people with drug or alcohol dependence.

Last month we announced there would be an additional $4.8 million in the upcoming state budget to tackle the problem of ice and other drugs in Tasmania.

The funding, which will be delivered over four years, will deliver 12 new residential rehabilitation beds, with a priority on delivering a residential rehabilitation program based on the North West.

The request for proposals advertised today is seeking an organisation or organisations to deliver this program.

The successful organisation(s) will work with people with severe alcohol and other drug dependencies and their families/carers to deliver 24 hour 7 day a week residential rehabilitation treatment and support.

There has been a longstanding service gap in this area on the North West and we are pleased to now be in a position to address it.

As well as increasing residential rehabilitation services; the Liberal Government’s $4.8 million in new funding will also enable:

• Employ two new positions within the Alcohol and Drug Services (ADS) based in Launceston and Ulverstone to work across the North and North West with the broader health system and community services.
• Deliver transport options so North and North West clients can access the southern specialist Inpatient Withdrawal Unit when appropriate.
• Develop data collection and information systems which will give us a clearer picture of up-to-date evidence which can be shared across Government and non-Government services.

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