Current projects

Peer-based Peak Body Scoping Project

QNADA recognises the important role that people who use health services can have in contributing to and informing the delivery of the services and systems that they access. We also recognise the specific difficulties in hearing the voices of people who use drugs (PWUD) in service or system design, re-design or evaluation in the alcohol and other drug treatment and harm reduction sector. In particular, the criminalisation of use and possession and the associated stigma and discrimination faced by people who use illicit drugs is a significant barrier to the engagement and participation of this group.

Queensland Health, Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch commissioned QNADA to undertake consultation with people who use drugs in Queensland. The purpose of this consultation was to understand the experiences of people who use drugs in Queensland, the issues that are important to them and how their voices could be amplified to influence the policies, systems and services that are relevant to them.

QNADA acknowledges the work that has been done in this area to date by our collaborating organisations on this project, particularly the Queensland Injectors Voice of Advocacy and Action (QuIVAA) and the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) (Queensland Indigenous Substance Misuse Council (QISMC)).

The Covid-19 pandemic required a redesign of the consultation approach which initially planned to utilise face-to-face focus groups and individual interviews. Instead, the consultation approach took the form of an online survey, promoted via social media, and one-on-one telephone and online interviews with people who use drugs from across Queensland.  A total of 401 people participated in the consultation from a diverse range of ages, genders, locations and cultural backgrounds.

The consultations revealed a range of experiences and perspectives of people who use drugs in Queensland who participated in the consultations.  These include the following:

• Around half of respondents indicated that they had accessed AOD treatment.
• Nearly a third of respondents reported that they hadn’t experienced any challenges as a consequence of their substance use.
• Around half of respondents indicated that they identify as a peer in a community of people who use drugs.
• Representation for people who use drugs in Queensland should include people who use illicit, licit and have previously used drugs and there should be particular attention paid to the people who experience significant harms and are regularly stigmatised in the community.
• Representation activities should include advocacy for changing drug laws and policy, activity which creates positive outcomes with a focus on the health, happiness and human rights of people who use drugs and work to end stigma and discrimination.

QNADA has synthesised the information gathered to identify the key themes that we think warrant further consideration. These include the following:

• The population of people who use drugs in Queensland is heterogeneous.
  • Whilst similar perspectives emerged amongst groups like people who inject substances, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, differences emerged in terms of particular harms and stigma experienced.

• Peer-based organisations, including those who represent people who use drugs, already exist in Queensland.
  • Supporting existing peer-based organisations to expand is an attractive option. It is also important to consider how people from different population groups identify, particularly those who experience disproportionate harms.

• The representation activity required stretches beyond the health system.
  • The range of identified activity stretches across many systems including health, justice and child safety to name a few.  Representative capacity will need to be able to engage with a range of stakeholders across systems.

QNADA recognises and values the contributions from people who use drugs from across Queensland and extends sincere thanks to all those who shared their stories and experiences.

For more information, please read the full report by clicking the button below or contact Sue Pope, Senior Policy and Engagement Manager.

Extra resources:

Peer Peak Body Scoping Project Summary Report

Peer Peak Body Scoping Project Report Infographics 

Watch: Peer Peak Body Scoping Project Video

Stretch2Engage

In May 2020, the independent evaluation of the Stretch2Engage Pilot Project was published by the Queensland Mental Health Commission.  This was the culmination of intensive work across 2018 and 2019 by the Stretch2Engage Partnership (QNADA, Queensland Alliance for Mental Health and enLIGHTened Consultants), led by QNADA with 7 non-government, public and private alcohol and other drug and mental health services in South East Queensland with funding provided by the Queensland Mental Health Commission.

The Stretch2Engage Framework was developed with the aim of improving and increasing service’s capacity to engage with people who access services, their friends and families.  The framework requires organisations to re-think their engagement activities by asking the question, “How can my organisation more effectively engage?” rather than the usual approach of asking, “How can we enable people who access services to engage with us?”

The Stretch2Engage Pilot project centred on testing the framework within the day to day functions of services.   It aimed to ascertain the framework’s desirability, feasibility and the viability for services to design and deliver ‘user centric’ services and processes which would ultimately make a positive impact on people’s lives.  Significant support was provided to participating pilot services which included Sunrise Way, Queensland Injectors Health Network (QuIHN) and the Metro South Addictions and Mental Health Ladders service.  The Partnership delivered five (5) full-day workshops, 124 coaching hours, 1 sector event and developed a number of resources in an effort to support significant ‘service engagement‘ culture change; for services to think beyond traditional participatory approaches to engaging with people who use their services, their friends and families and the community.

The evaluation provides evidence to support a range of positive impacts that emerged through the Stretch2Engage Pilot Project.  In particular, evidence for positive impacts on service delivery and people who use services, and for enhanced workforce capability.   There was evidence of emerging culture change in organisations, which were most evident in relation to staff values and attitudes and emerging changes to prioritisation and resourcing.  The project resulted in an increase in both the quantity and quality of engagement practice as well as in the range of stakeholders engaged.  In addition workforce development and career advancement benefits for staff and important collaboration benefits for participating pilot organisations were sighted as well as a growing recognition that quick and cost-effective changes could be made which had a significant impact on engagement.

Several resources were developed in collaboration with the pilot services with the aim of supporting other AOD and mental health services to build upon and strengthen their service engagement culture in their implementation work.  These include a suite of video resources that showcase the work of the pilot services in implementing the Stretch2Engage framework.

For more information, please read the full report by clicking the button below or visit https://www.qmhc.qld.gov.au/engage-enable/lived-experience-led-reform/stretch2engage

Systems Navigation, Early Intervention and Telephone Counselling Project

Working in partnership and funded by the 4 regional Primary Health Networks (PHN), North Queensland, Western Queensland, Central Queensland, Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay and Darling Downs and West Moreton, this 18 month project seeks to address issues of awareness of and access to services for people with problematic alcohol and other drug use in regional, rural and remote Queensland.

QNADA and the PHNs worked in partnership with ADIS (Alcohol and Drug Information Service) and Insight to develop and deliver the project activities.  Activities included the development of a social media strategy and campaign targeting the 4 PHN regions encouraging people to seek help for themselves or a family member or friend by accessing the ADIS 24/7 telephone support and counselling service.  11 short vignettes were developed utilizing local spokespersons including PHN CEOs and staff, football players, musicians, a family member with a lived experience, ADIS staff and leaders from the sector.  The social media campaign was run throughout July 2018.

In recognising the critical role of primary health care services in rural and remote region in increasing access to alcohol and other drug treatment, QNADA worked with Insight to deliver 4 webinars targeting General Practitioners to increase their skills, knowledge and confidence to respond to alcohol and other drug issues and to support the reduction of stigma in the community.  These webinars were run between August and September 2018. 

Outcomes and learnings from this project will be documented in the final report due by February 2019.

Queensland alcohol and other drugs treatment and harm reduction outcomes framework

The development of the Queensland alcohol and other drugs outcomes framework got underway in early 2017, following on from an outcomes symposium in 2016. In collaboration with the Queensland AOD Sector Network, we brought together representatives of government, non-government and private specialist alcohol and other drugs services from across Queensland to identify a series of outcome indicators specific to:

• client changes that are directly affected by treatment (client indicators);
• treatment service quality (organisation indicators); and
• population level issues that may impact treatment (system indicators).

The Queensland AOD Sector Network collated the results after each round of meetings and synthesised the outcome indicators resulting in universal indicators (relevant across all treatment/intervention types) and those that are specific to:

• residential treatment;
• psychosocial interventions;
• harm reduction;
• withdrawal management; and
• medication assisted treatment.

The Queensland AOD Sector Convention was held in Brisbane on 22 June 2018 at Brisbane City Hall and brought together 110 service managers, policy makers and sector leaders from across the government and non-government alcohol and drugs sector in Queensland. The Queensland AOD Sector Network is pleased to release a copy of the Convention Report and announce that the draft Queensland AOD Treatment and Harm Reduction Outcomes Framework (THROF) was overwhelmingly endorsed at the event. The THROF will be officially released by the end of the year following amendments suggested at the Convention and further consultation with the Community Controlled Sector.

Working with Primary Health Networks

We continue to work with Primary Health Networks across the State to support their understanding of the sector and their options for investment.

In the Northern Qld PHN region, we have established two alcohol and other drug treatment services reference groups (in Cairns and Townsville), to harness the expertise of the local alcohol and other drugs treatment and harm reduction sector to support effective service delivery across the region.

In the Brisbane North PHN region, we have been funded to deliver a service integration and workforce development project, which aims to support the alcohol and other drug workforce through activities that promote joined up assessment processes, referral pathways, and support continuous quality improvement, evidence based treatment and service integration/coordination.

In the Brisbane South PHN region, we have been funded to establish and support a collaborative, made up of representatives from non-government and government specialist alcohol and other drug services. The collaborative is tasked with identifying and addressing barriers for clients attempting to access alcohol and other drug treatment in the Brisbane South region.

Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS)

We continue to support the collection of the AODTS NMDS for non-government services. The 2018-19 collection included 21,453 episodes of care from 102 reporting establishments, which was an increase from 20,594 episodes in 2018-19.

Capacity building

We support our members and the broader alcohol and other drugs sector to build their capacity to respond to shifting trends and the increasing number of clients who present with multiple and complex needs.

Our focus is on:

• establishing and maintaining linkages and strategic partnerships between the AOD sector and other health and community support sectors to develop greater understanding and collaboration;
• assisting NGO AOD treatment services to undertake service improvement initiatives;
• identifying and facilitating training opportunities for NGO AOD treatment services; and
• providing targeted information and resources to the NGO AOD treatment sector and other social and health services relating to effective responses to alcohol and other drugs related harm.