NCETA - The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction

Primary Funder: This project is funded through the FaHCSIA ‘Child Aware Approaches’ initiative.

Aim: NCETA has been funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to develop evidence based resources, to assist alcohol and drug (AOD) services workers to support clients who have family/domestic violence issues that may affect the wellbeing of these children. NCETA has partnered with Odyssey House Victoria, one of Australia’s highly regarded alcohol and other drugs services, to develop the resources which will include a booklet and CD.

It is widely recognised in child protection settings that risk of child abuse and neglect increases dramatically where problematic substance abuse, mental health issues and domestic violence co-occur. However, addressing family/domestic violence represents a new focus for many in the AOD sector and at present there are few resources to support the AOD sector deal with these complex issues. These new resources will provide practical information for workers and their organisations on how to identify and address domestic/family violence and support families to reduce risk of harm to children.

Method: This project involves a literature review and consultations with key stakeholders.

Publications:

Breaking the Silence: Addressing family and domestic violence problems in alcohol and other drug treatment practice in Australia

Primary Funder: Australian Centre for Child Protection

Aim: 1. To determine the extent to which drug and alcohol agencies and workers take into account the parental needs of their clients and those of their children;
2. To identify the possible facilitators and inhibitors of shifting this sector to family centred practice.

Method: > Develop and distribute a cross-sectional online survey, utilising SurveyMonkey to measure organisational, work practice, and individual issues relevant to child and parent sensitive work practice models
> Survey sample to include AOD specialist frontline workers and treatment agency managers from government, non-government, private and community owned treatment agencies from urban and rural areas in each state and territory across Australia
> Survey data will be collated and entered into an SPSS spreadsheet for subsequent analysis
> A final report will be prepared.

Publications:

Primary Funder: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Aim: The National Alcohol Knowledgebase (NAK) Project has three main objectives.

1. Design and construct a document that works effectively in electronic and hard copy versions that will act as a public reference and dissemination vehicle for alcohol-related information.
2. Develop nationally agreed standards and procedures for deriving statistics and parameters, and reporting on data relating to alcohol consumption, harms, treatment, and sales.
3. Derive information relating to alcohol consumption, harms, treatment, and sales using the new data standards and procedures.

Method: The development of the template will involve the following steps -

Aim 1
> Identify relevant datasets through a search and consultation process
> select relevant datasets by applying criteria for quality, accessibility and utility
> Summarise features of selected datasets by describing key characteristics
> Design a searchable template prototype
> Establish criteria for indexing dataset features
> Undertake a consultative and review process with key stakeholders
> Modify and finalise the template
> Review and revise (where applicable) after the Data Standards are developed.

Aim 2
The development of standards as outlined here will be informed by existing guidelines for the development of data standards (AIHW, 2007) and the development of indicators of alcohol consumption and related harm (WHO, 2000).
The methodology for this part of the project entails a series of discreet stages. The stages to be undertaken in meeting Aim 2 also overlap and dovetail with some of the stages involved in meeting Aim 1. In this way, a seamless project management plan can be developed and all components of the project executed with maximum efficiency.

Stage 1: Identification and audit of existing datasets (continuation of work undertaken in Part 1)
Stage 2: Review of existing relevant data, analysis and reporting standards
Stage 3: Production of a draft set of standards
Stage 4: Key stakeholder consultation
Stage 5: Revision of draft standards
Stage 6: Production of an alcohol-related data standards report.

Aim 3
Subjecting select data identified in meeting Aim 1 to secondary analyses to derive alcohol-related statistics in accord with the standards developed in meeting Aim 2. In addition, alcohol-related statistics produced as a result of these secondary analyses will be reported in a format consistent with the reporting template developed in meeting Aim 1.

Publications:

Primary Funder: Victorian Department of Health

Aim: The issue of pharmaceutical misuse has been identified across Australia as an emerging problem of significant concern. Due to the need for a consolidated national response, a National Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Strategy (NPDMS) is being developed by a consortium led by the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) at Flinders University.

The Strategy is being developed at the request of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS) and is being funded through the MCDS Cost Shared Funding Model. The project is being overseen by the Victorian Department of Health.

Method: Development of the Strategy:

The development of the Strategy will involve:
>> a review of existing Australian and international knowledge and research including relevant legislation and regulatory controls/mechanisms
>> a comprehensive national consultation process with key stakeholders in metropolitan and regional Australia, including a number of consultation forums, and
>> written submissions.

Scope of the Strategy:

The Strategy will cover both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Particular focus will be given to pharmaceutical drugs subject to non-medical use, misuse and/or diversion.

Priority will be given to the drugs that cause the most harm. Responses will be developed in the areas of:
>> supply reduction
>> demand reduction
>> harm reduction.

Responses will aim to balance the need to prevent harm caused by misuse, while continuing to ensure that those who have a medical need can continue to access appropriate medicines. A wide-ranging consultation process is essential to the development of such a balanced strategy.

Consultations:

Discussion Paper & Literature Review
A discussion paper has been developed to inform the Strategy development process. It was informed by the literature review and by discussions with key experts in the area from a variety of backgrounds. The discussion paper outlines:
>> a brief overview of issues relevant to the development of Australia’s NPDMS
>> the background and context for the initiation of a pharmaceutical misuse strategy
>> relevant Australian and international research and data, and
>> potential areas for prevention and remediation that may be addressed through the strategy.

This paper is not intended to be a definitive coverage of issues; rather, it is intended to be thought provoking, stimulating and in some respects challenging. For a more comprehensive coverage of these issues, readers are invited to examine the full literature review.

The paper and literature review may be downloaded by clicking on the links below.

Consultation Process:

The consultation process will provide an opportunity to address such issues as whether the discussion paper and the associated literature review:
>> contain significant gaps (for example, issues, research, information, resources and examples of good practice)
>> accurately reflect the state of play
>> reflect stakeholders’ interests and concerns, and
>> contain potential responses that are consistent with stakeholders’ perspectives.

Throughout the discussion paper key questions are posed which are intended to provoke discussion in relation to the extent and nature of pharmaceutical drug misuse and potential responses. These questions appear in red.

The time frame for consultation for the development of the Strategy is as follows:
>> discussion paper released March 2011
>> a national consultation process will occur between late March and early June; and
>> written submissions will be called for mid-March to mid-May.

Presentations:

The development of Australia's National Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Strategy: A matter of balance

Publications:

Primary Funder:

Aim: Are you a health professional who counsels individuals who use cannabis? If so, the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre would like to invite you to participate in an online survey to find out your views on cannabis use treatment guidelines. The survey takes less than 30 minutes to complete and participation is confidential. You will not be asked to identify your place of employment. Participants who complete the survey will be asked to provide an email address to enter a draw to win one of ten $100 AUD vouchers via PayPal. To complete the survey, please follow the link:
https://www.surveys.unsw.edu.au/survey/156130/586a/

Contact Dr Melissa Norberg for enquiries (m.norberg@unsw.edu.au). This research has been approved by UNSW Human Research Ethics Advisory Panel (HREA: 2011-7-47).

Projects & Research