Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre to open new onsite rehabilitation hub for drug and alcohol treatment as ice tears through region

A dozen new alcohol and drug treatment and support facilities are due to roll out statewide as the drug ice devastates regional NSW communities. Here’s what’s happening in the north.

The Buttery is one of six regional organisations of 12 statewide given a cash injection to run additional drug and alcohol services.

Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre has been picked as one of six regional organisations among a dozen statewide given a crucial funding injection to provide drug and alcohol treatment in a state ice crisis.

It comes as one Mid-North Coast frontline worker revealed children as young as 12 have been receiving treatment for methamphetamines (ice).

The state government is forking out $33.9 million to bolster services over four years as the notorious drug rips through the regions.

Funding comes on the back of NSW’s Special Commission of Inquiry into the Drug ‘Ice’ – and almost 110 recommendations made by the probe led by Professor Dan Howard SC.

The inquiry – involving experts, frontline workers and those adversely impacted by drug and alcohol – recommended co-ordination of illicit drug decriminalisation, reframing substance use as a health issue and investment in treatment, diversion and work initiatives.

Other suggestions include better data, reporting and research and a focus on assisting “priority populations”, including “Aboriginal people who experience disproportionate impacts”, as well as regional and rural communities more generally.

Leone Crayden, chief executive officer of The Buttery rehab, which oversees the Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre. She welcomed the funding, but said it’s still not enough.

Leone Crayden, chief executive officer of The Buttery rehab near Lismore, which oversees the Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre, said funding was initially accepted for both Nimbin and Casino – but only the Nimbin funding eventuated.

“We have a really good model that is based in partnership with the Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre which has strong relationships with the community that have been established for over 30 years,” Ms Crayden said.

“We thought putting the alcohol and other drug hub there would make sense.”

The Buttery is due to get $470,000 a year for the next four years, which Ms Crayden said would fund the Nimbin Drug and Alcohol Hub, inside the Cullen St centre.

The Nimbin facility will offer more help for those in need.

The new facility will function as a first port of call for those in need to access assessments, counselling and overall management of their case.

Ms Crayden said the money would allow more specialist workers to work closely alongside established programs and allied health providers.

“All the other social supports the Neighbourhood Centre provides are still being provided, this is just extra,” she said.

“It may be a person needs assistance with further treatment, it might be a referral to one of our residential treatment programs or another program.”

Ms Crayden said the Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre had grown exponentially over the last five years in step with increased illicit drug use and demand for treatment.

“Crystal methamphetamine, or the drug known as ice, has definitely increased since my term at The Buttery over the last five years, by about seven per cent higher usage,” she said.

“It’s across the board and we now have a program in Port Macquarie that sees kids as young as 12.”

Ms Crayden said specialist youth programs such as Core for Youth assisted children aged 12-17 and a companion program involved those aged 18-24.

The drug ice (methamphetamines). Picture: File

She called for better treatment and support options more broadly.

“The reality is that a study by UNSW (University of New South Wales) … showed in Australia about six per cent (of overall funding) is spent on prevention, 21 per cent on treatment, 1.8 per cent of total budget on harm reduction … we spend 55-67 per cent on law enforcement – and yet the Australian people don’t want that,” Ms Crayden said.

“ … imagine if we change the tide?” she said.

“I could have an AOD (alcohol and other drug) hub in nearly every neighbourhood centre in NSW and they would be used.

The government has adopted most inquiry recommendations and Ms Crayden said she would now like to see more funding released.

Summits later this year, in October and December, will bring together medicos, police, support organisations and other stakeholders to further discuss a way forward.