National Drug and Alcohol Awards

Celebrating Australian achievements to prevent
and reduce alcohol and other drug use and harm

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Methamphetamine Treatment Evaluation Study nominated as finalist in Excellence in Research at the 2008 National Drug and Alcohol Awards

The Methamphetamine Treatment Evaluation Study (MATES) is the first large-scale community-based treatment outcomes study for methamphetamine use either in Australia or internationally. Managed by the National Alcohol and Drug Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of New South Wales, it is a collaborative effort between treatment agencies and researchers across Australia. This innovative partnership demonstrated how everyday non-government and government drug treatment services are effective in reducing methamphetamine use and related problems.

The research has also highlighted the level of comorbid mental health problems among methamphetamine treatment entrants. This will help services tailor their treatment programs and lobby for resources to build capacity to manage comorbid mental health problems.

MATES operated via a 400-strong participant group of methamphetamine treatment clients and a comparison group of 100 out-of-treatment dependant methamphetamine users. Follow-up with participants is around 80% at 3 and 12 month follow-ups. These follow-up rates are excellent by international standards which allows the study to be extrapolated amongst the population with a high degree of accuracy.

The study assesses drug use, socio-demographic factors, and various drug-related harms over this time, to see whether these factors improve with drug treatment. It also assesses the prevalence of psychiatric disorders within this population.

Baseline studies have been distributed to the coalition of over 40 participating agencies.

The winner of the Excellence in Research award will be announced at a gala dinner at The Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne on 27 June 2008.

“It is a great privilege to support the national alcohol and other drugs sector in celebrating the achievements of their unsung heroes, said Daryl Smeaton, CEO of the AER Foundation. As the major sponsor of these awards, AER congratulates all the winners, finalists and nominees.”

The National Drug and Alcohol Awards are a collaborative effort of the Ted Noffs Foundation, The Australian Drug Foundation, The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia and the Australian National Council on Drugs.

It is estimated around 10,000 Australians now work directly in drug and alcohol treatment across Australia with a further 8,500 in associated sectors.

Sponsors of the awards are the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (Principal sponsor), the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (major sponsor); VIC Department of Human Services (major sponsor), The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (major sponsor), VIC Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (sponsor) and NSW Health — ActNow (supporter).

To interview the finalist please contact Sam Hunt on 02 6122 8600. For more information about the National Drug & Alcohol Awards go to http://www.drugawards.org.au/

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