National Drug and Alcohol Awards

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

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Major Sponsor

Supporters

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Local South Australian program ‘finalist’ in 2007 National Drug & Alcohol Awards Excellence in Treatment

The REACHOUT Service — Offenders Aid & Rehabilitation Service has been selected as a finalist in the 2007 National Drug and Alcohol Awards Excellence in Treatment award.

The program is an innovative live-in course within Cadell Prison in South Australia. REACHOUT provides education and life skills to increase the opportunities of young males 18 to 25 whose crimes involve alcohol or drug misuse.

REACHOUT focuses on motivational learning, team building and restoring relationships. The program is run within a therapeutic community inside the prison, helping to develop supportive peer relationships and reassess their lifestyle choices. Community work projects are an integral part of the program, enabling restitution for their offence and promoting the concept of restorative justice.

Over 50 offenders have participated in REACHOUT’s program since inception in 2004. All participants reported increased self-esteem and felt that this program has enabled them to develop new coping strategies and life skills upon re-integration into society.
The winner of the Excellence in Treatment Award will be announced on June 22, 2007 in Sydney at a gala dinner to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel.

“Every day of the week I see the ravages of drug and alcohol abuse on good Australians and their families. As a nation we lose about $1.2 billion and 7.5 million working days due to the effects of alcohol abuse alone. The emotional cost of drug and alcohol abuse to families includes domestic violence, suicide, depression, plus health issues such as brain, liver and heart damage. To meet the devastation brought on by drug and alcohol abuse are thousands of dedicated professionals, researchers, organisations and volunteers doing work that is world leading throughout all States of Australia. These Awards go some little way to recognizing the fantastic, innovative work they do with such passion and conviction. We applaud them,” says Wesley Noffs, Chair of the NDAA 2007 Awards.

“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); Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (major 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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