www.ndri.curtin.edu.au

National Drug Research InstitutePreventing Harmful Drug Use in Australia

Enhancing The Management of Alcohol-Related Problems

Among Indigenous Australians

Dennis Gray NDRI

Steve Allsop NDRI

Sherry Saggers Edith Cowan University

Ted Wilkes NDRI

Coralie Ober Queensland Alcohol & Drug Research Centre & QISMC

Violet Bacon

Mandy Wilson

Program Research Team

To enhance the access of Indigenous Australians to quality treatment for

alcohol-related problems

Funded by the Australian Government

Department of Health and Ageing

Research Program Objective

• Review of interventions and their application among Indigenous Australians

• Identification of factors that inhibit/facilitate application

• Identification of gaps in current knowledge

• Undertake 5 – 6 research projects to address the gaps

• Development a set of recommendations for enhancing the management of alcohol-related problems

• Development of plan for implementation of the recommendations

Specific Aims

1. Identification of research priorities and development of specific research proposals

2. Undertake specific intervention research projects

3. Development of a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving treatment and for their implementation.

Stages of program development

• Establish and convene Program Advisory Committee

• Identify potential research teams and commission review papers and research proposals

• Preparation of review papers and research proposals

• Convene a national workshop to present and discuss proposals

• Revision of reviews and research proposals

• Commission research projects

Stage 1 objectives

• Mr. Andrew Amor – Milliya Rumurra Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Centre

• Dr. Stephen Castle – OATSIH

• A/Professor Katherine Conigrave – Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine, RACP

• Mr Henry Councillor – Chairperson, NACCHO

• Dr Lisa Jackson Pulver – Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit, UNSW

• Ms Sue Morley – ANCD/NIDAC

• Ms Jennie Shortt – Drug Strategy Branch, DoHA

Steering Committee Members

• Screening and assessment

• Brief interventions

• Withdrawal management

• Pharmacotherapies

• Psychosocial interventions

• Relapse prevention and management

• Co-existing mental and physical health problems

• Shared care/integrated care/case management

Identified priority areas

• Access to treatment

• Standards of care and quality assurance

• The contexts of poly-drug use and co-morbidities

• Family involvement

• Issues related to the geographic setting in which treatment is provided

Contextual issues to be considered

Included

• Details of objectives and priority areas

• Explanation of the process

• List of requirements

Calls of expressions of interest

3 to 5 pages in length including:

• Project objectives

• Statement of project benefits and the key result area(s) of the CAP addressed

• Outline of the proposed methodology

• Details of collaborative arrangements

• An indicative one-line budget

• A summary of previous research experience

• Contact details of the research team leader

• Team member CVs as appendices

List of requirements

• NAACHO – state/territory affiliates – individual ACCHS

• Indigenous AOD treatment services

• Professional organisations – APSAD, AIDA

• AIATIS, University Indigenous Studies Centres

• CRCAH, University AOD Research Centres

• Government funding agencies

Circulation of calls for EoIs

• Seven expressions of interest received

• Each EoI reviewed by one member of the Advisory Committee and one member of the Research program team

• Six were selected and project teams were requested – and funded – to develop issues papers on their topics and to prepare research proposals

Review of EoIs

• Of the six selected, five teams submitted proposals

• Proposals were sent out for independent review

• Project teams asked to review proposals in light of reviews

• Two members of each project team were funded to attend a national workshop to present their proposals

• Proposals were revised on the basis of workshop feedback and re-submitted

Proposal development

• Multidisciplinary, self management rehabilitation care plans and case management to improve alcohol treatment for Aboriginal people in Alice Springs – CAAC

• A community based brief intervention: increasing access to the full range of treatment services for alcohol problems for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians – SSWAHS

• The integration of brief intervention into Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in five rural communities in NSW – NDARC

Funded research projects

• “Where's your country?” “Who are your people?” Asking the right questions when treating problematic alcohol use amongst Indigenous Australians – Winnunga Nimmityjah Health Service, NCEPH

• Evaluating the management of alcohol-related problems among urban Aboriginal People in Western Australia: using an action research approach to enhance service delivery and collaboration for client care – AADS, Curtin University of Technology

Funded research projects

• Currently underway and scheduled to be completed at the end of this year

• Progress on the projects is the subject of the next five presentations in this symposium

Stage 2

• A workshop is planned for February 2010

• Final reports will be presented

• Groups will work together to make recommendations and to develop a strategy for their implementation

• Develop plans to build on the program within the participating services and more broadly

Stage 3

www.ndri.curtin.edu.au

National Drug Research InstitutePreventing Harmful Drug Use in Australia

Enhancing The Management of Alcohol-Related Problems

Among Indigenous Australians