QNADA News

Submission to the Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024

QNADA recently made a submission to the Submission to the Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024. Overall, we supported the bills intention to recognise the important role that truth telling and accountability for government actions in progressing reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Within the submission we:

• Reiterated the importance of the Closing the Gap which, according to the 2024 Productivity Commission Review, has been plagued by large scale inaction by government and non-government bodies alike
• Recommended that the Commission commit to diversity within the membership. Sistergirl and Brotherboys, young people, people with disability, people who use drugs and people removed from their families both by the stolen generations and as a result of the institutionally racist Child Protection system must be included and represented on the Commission.
• Argued that drug laws, policies, and practices disproportionally effect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the Country and that the targeted criminalisation of indigenous communities has generational impacts on children and young people.

You can read the full submission here.

Submission to the Making Queensland Safer Bill 2024

QNADA recently made a submission to the proposed Making Queensland Safer Bill 2024. The submission stressed our concern that the legislative changes will result in the further criminalisation of young people who use drugs and that it will undermine the key outcomes that governments are seeking to achieve through these policies, including those aimed at reducing recidivism and improving community safety.

In particular, we argued that removing the principle of detention as last resort and allowing cautions and restorative justice agreements to appear on the criminal history of a child will result in further harm to children and communities. Considering that this Act will increase the number of young people who are incarcerated, we also argued that there are significant challenges to equitable access to appropriate healthcare within correctional settings which must be addressed.

You can read the full submission here.

Overdose Prevention Queensland Plan

Overdose is a critical social, political, economic, and public health issue.

QuIHN, QuIVAA, The Loop Australia and QNADA have established an Overdose Prevention Queensland Plan in response to the rising threat of the synthetic opioid crisis.

We are advocating for immediate action to address:

➡️ Investment and Enhancement for Harm Reduction Services

➡️Improve access to Opioid Dependence Treatment

➡️Expand drug checking services like @cheqpoint.qld

➡️0verdose Prevention Centres

➡️0verdose Response Strategies

➡️Drug and 0verdose Monitoring Systems

 To read or download the full Overdose Prevention Queensland Plan, click here

Submission to the Inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia

QNADA provided a submission to the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport’s Inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia.

The submission addressed key structural issues within Australia’s drug and alcohol policy, focussing on issues where federal government leadership is needed.

Our submission focussed on five key areas:

1. The need for greater balance across the three pillars of Australian alcohol and drug policy spending, in particular the need to increase the funding for prevention, treatment, and harm reduction.
2. The need for national level governance structures in order to address a lack of coordination in priorities and funding within the Australian AOD sector.
3. The need to resolve issues within the current funding, contracting, and commissioning environment which hamstring the ability of AOD services to operate effectively.
4. The value of reframing the policy narrative around AOD.
5. The value of decriminalisation.

Please click here to read the full submission.

Updated harm reduction resources

We recently updated our harm reduction resources.

These resources provide information on the potential interactions between commonly prescribed mental health medications and licit and illicit drugs, and were updated in collaboration with a group of practitioners across social work, psychopharmacology, addiction medicine, psychology, and public health.

 Please click here or the image below to view or download the updated resources

2022-23 Alcohol and other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set

The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS) contains information about alcohol and other drug treatment services; the clients who use these services; the type of issues for which treatment is sought and the types of treatment provided.

In 2022-2023, 107 non-government organisations and alcohol and other drug treatment establishments across Queensland submitted data to the AODTS NMDS through QNADA, including statewide residential treatment services. The submission included 22,393 closed treatment episodes to 17,020 clients aged 10+, a small increase from 21,678 episodes in 2021-2022.

Counselling was the most accessed treatment type (48%) followed by support and case management (17%), and rehabilitation (16%). More than half of episodes were provided to male clients (55%). Alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern for which clients sought treatment (36%), followed by amphetamines (32%) and Cannabinoids (14%).

Data interpretation notes: The data is limited to those NGO AODTS who submit through QNADA, including statewide residential treatment services. Data from AODS or similar government services is not included. Please note, in some cases, agencies may not submit data to QNADA.

Please click here to view or download the full 2022-23 National Minimum Data Set report

Taking collective action: Establishing an Overdose Monitoring System in Queensland

This paper provides a brief overview of the background, evidence, and opportunities for establishing an overdose monitoring system in Queensland. It has been developed by QNADA for the Queensland Mental Health Commission to explore ‘what works, when and why’ to help facilitate further stakeholder discussions and refine an agreed approach.

Please click on the image below to view or download the full paper.

2021-22 Alcohol and other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set

The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS) contains information about alcohol and other drug treatment services; the clients who use these services; the types of issues for which treatment is sought and the types of treatment provided.

Data interpretation notes: The data is limited to those NGO AODTS who submit through QNADA, including statewide residential treatment services. Data from AODS or similar government services is not included. Please note, in some cases, agencies may not submit data to QNADA.

In 2021-22, 106 establishments provided 21,678 closed treatment episodes to 14,613 clients aged 10+

Click here for more info: 2021-22 NMDS

New policy position paper

This Systemic Responses: Child Protection position paper is the next iteration of the initial Systemic Responses position paper endorsed by the QNADA board in 2019. Our work on the Responsive Systems project since then has developed our position to be able to separately address issues in the criminal justice system, youth justice system, and child safety system as each has unique intersections with our sector and impacts people who use drugs differently. We want to do a deep dive into each of these systems and suggest how they could improve their responses to better align with evidence on what works to improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Please click on the image below to read and download the full paper.

Refreshed resource – Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Treatment Fact Sheet

The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Treatment Fact Sheet for non-AOD Treatment Services has recently been updated. 

This fact sheet outlines and discusses some key fundamental elements of the AOD treatment and harm reduction sector. It contains information on common AOD service options, the use of non-stigmatising language, harm reduction advice, and how to make a referral to an AOD service. This resource is suitable for anyone who are new to or hasn’t worked in the AOD sector. 

Please click on the image below to view or download the full fact sheet.

Working with AOD Clients Experiencing Housing Issues & Homelessness Fact Sheet

The Working with AOD Clients Experiencing Housing Issues & Homelessness Fact Sheet has recently been refreshed. We know AOD workers are likely to work with clients who may experience issues with their housing situation, so it’s important to have information on hand to provide support.

Please click on the image below to view or download the full fact sheet.

The Working with AOD Clients who Experience Mental Health Issues fact sheet has recently been refreshed

Please click on the image below to view or download the full fact sheet.