244 Local Drug Action Teams are now established across Australia to prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug-related harm in their communities.
The Commonwealth Government and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation recently announced an additional 72 Local Drug Action Teams, to join 172 existing teams.
The Local Drug Action Team Program supports organisations to build or extend partnerships in their neighbourhoods and use local knowledge to deliver evidence-informed alcohol and other drug harm prevention activities that are tailored to individual community needs.
Alcohol and Drug Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Erin Lalor said a high number of community partnerships applied to join the Local Drug Action Team Program.
“Strong demand from communities across Australia has meant the number of Local Drug Action Teams is higher than originally planned, giving us the opportunity to now work with 244 passionate community partnerships,” Dr Lalor said.
“More than 1,300 organisations are now part of Australia’s extensive Local Drug Action Team Program network. This shows how determined community organisations are about building healthier and more connected communities.”
Local Drug Action Teams receive an initial $10,000 and are supported by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation to develop Community Action Plans, which outline evidence-informed prevention activities to address local alcohol and other drug-related issues.
Dr Lalor said tailored community-led initiatives are vital in preventing and minimising harms caused by alcohol and other drugs.
“The Local Drug Action Team Program recognises that every community is unique and there’s no one-size fits all solution to addressing alcohol and other drug issues,” said Dr Lalor.
The Local Drug Action Team Program is part of the Australian Government’s investment of $298 million over four years under the National Ice Action Strategy.
Click here to find a map of Local Drug Action Teams across Australia https://community.adf.org.au/join-program/local-drug-action-team-program-overview/