Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation
Reduced Substance Misuse
& Harm Projects
Reduced Substance Misuse & Harm Projects (Alcohol and Other Drug Awareness (AOD) program) is designed to deliver education, referral pathways and advocacy to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait community of Circular Head.
The program provides a culturally safe, confidential environment that aims to increase the level of awareness of the impacts of Alcohol and Drug addictions. The main aim is to close the gap of drug and alcohol abuse within men, women and young people in the community while working collaboratively with other key stakeholders to ensure the client is receiving maximum provisions for their individual complex needs.
The Program delivers a range of services such as harm minimisation advice, drug and alcohol case management, care coordination, referral services, educational materials, outreach counselling, transports and advocacy. Aboriginal people experience an inconsistent amount of harm from alcohol and drug use, these harms are dependably high and recognises the importance of connection to land, culture, spirituality, ancestry, family and community. Culture and cultural identity are critical to social and emotional wellbeing. Social and emotional wellbeing can be affected by various social elements of health, that could include homelessness, lack of or poor education, unemployment, harmful AOD use, a range of problems resulting from grief and loss, trauma and abuse, violence, removal from family and cultural displacement, racism and discrimination.
Key stakeholders that the program works collaboratively with to maintain successful relationships and referral pathways are: Alcohol Tobacco and other Drugs Council (ATDC), Youth Family and Community Connections (YFCC), Serenity House (Rehab Centre), The Salvation Army Bridge Program(Rehab Program), Inpatient Withdrawal Unit (IPWU), Rural Health, Anglicare, Rural Alive and Well (RAW), Employment Plus, Community Corrections, Parkside Community Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Service Grove Centre and Smithton Police Station. As well as amalgamating with other internal programs within Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation to achieve the best possible outcomes for the clients.
