Mental Health and AOD

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank Mrs Jones for bringing this very important motion before the Assembly today. I rise today to speak in strong support of the integration of services for people with both mental health disorders and drug use disorders.

Ten months ago, I presented a petition to this Assembly, signed by 699 Canberra residents, calling for a thorough inquiry into the territory’s alcohol, tobacco and other drug sector. When I spoke to that petition, I mentioned a family whose son had been referred to a specialist drug treatment service by the court. At that time, he and his family had already been waiting many months to access that service. I am glad that, now, the young man has finally been able to access the service he needed and is beginning to thrive again, but his situation deteriorated dramatically throughout the long waiting period, impacting both him and his family.

Long waits are not the only problem. I note that Lisa, who made a submission to the Inquiry into the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Bill, described watching ‘a young adult seeking and receiving services in the ACT for the dual diagnosis of a debilitating alcohol addiction and a mental illness. On two separate occasions’, she wrote,

I observed totally inadequate coordination and referral pathways between residential … drug … rehabilitation services and ACT mental health services. This lack of coordination contributed a serious risk to the client’s life, major problems for the client’s family and a set-back of many months for the client’s rehabilitation.

It is one thing, Madam Speaker, to wish to divert people with drug and alcohol struggles away from the criminal justice system. It is certainly another thing altogether to ensure that alternative services are in place to allow for that diversion. Not doing so will simply result in worse outcomes for people and their families. It is essential that this body be informed by the minister regarding how treatment for drug and alcohol disorders and mental health disorders will be integrated and coordinated in the ACT and the capacity for treatment is.

I commend this motion to the Assembly. Thank you.