Page 1958 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 7 June 2017
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We are not seeking to create a new form of alcohol and drug treatment. It is not and will not be an alternative to treatment. Rather, it is an additional step in a journey which seeks to cement a person’s recovery from addiction and to provide them with the power to make new and more positive choices in their lives.
To this end, prior to entry into the Ngunnawal bush healing farm, each client must have already completed a program of alcohol and drug treatment and be free from alcohol and drugs. Further, they must also have no pending court cases, be at low risk of harm to self and others, not require further therapeutic services, or be stable. Each of the programs will: have a foundation based in local community and practice; address the social and cultural determinants of health for each client; imbue each client with a sense of social and emotional wellbeing; and provide life skills and training.
These programs will take the form of activities that clients can participate in, including life skills training, land management training, cultural programs, physical health and wellbeing programs and recreational activities. The exact nature of these programs is currently being determined by ACT Health in consultation with the bush healing farm advisory board and with advice from the Healing Foundation however I do understand that conversations are advancing rapidly.
To be fair, this approach is very new. To be sure, it is not without its criticism. However I am guided by the growing evidence from Australia and around the world that shows engaging with a person’s culture and viewing their treatment through the lens of traditional healing and practices does produce results. To quote a literature review by the Healing Foundation:
Effective healing programs show positive impacts on individuals, families and communities in terms of self-worth and identity. The evidence in this review demonstrates that these have had a positive impact on health status and health disparities … There are also positive impacts in terms of knowledge and skills acquisition by community members and the development of individual, family and community capacity.
This does not mean that the Ngunnawal bush healing farm will be the solution to all problems facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I am also not presenting it as a total answer to the problems in our communities with alcohol and other drugs. But the simple matter is that it would be folly continue to do more of the same and expect a different result. This is why we are working with our local community to deliver something different, to strengthen our existing alcohol and drug services and to get better outcomes for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the ACT.
I once again acknowledge and apologise for any miscommunication by the government and reiterate my intention to have services operating at the bush healing farm as soon as possible. I thank all members of the community who have had input to date and to the ongoing and weekly work of the advisory board.
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