Answers to Questions

APY LANDS, SUBSTANCE MISUSE FACILITY

In reply to the Hon. T.A. FRANKS (22 March 2011) (First Session).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women): The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation has been advised:

1. & 2. The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands Substance Misuse Residential Facility and mobile service located at Amata was designed to provide rehabilitation and outreach services for petrol sniffers, as well as for community members with drug and alcohol issues across the APY Lands.

With the decline of petrol sniffing on the APY Lands, the demand for services through the Facility also diminished.

The findings of the report on the operations of the Facility, in part, prompted a review of the use of the Facility.

Country Health SA, in partnership with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division (DPC-AARD) and other key stakeholders considered a range of options relating to health service delivery models to maximise the use of the Facility by families and children.

From 1 July 2011, Country Health SA acquired project management responsibility for the APY Lands Substance Misuse Facility with respect to the functioning and the range of services to be delivered. The Drug and Alcohol Services SA (DASSA) will continue to provide an outreach service from the Facility.

The former Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, the Hon. Grace Portolesi MP, in collaboration with the Federal Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon. Jenny Macklin MP, announced the establishment of three Family Wellbeing Centres across the APY Lands in September 2011.

The Amata Substance Misuse Facility will be modified and converted into one of the three Family Wellbeing Centres. These Centres will provide integrated child and family services.