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Drug centre to take on heroin
By ANNIE LAWSON
09jan01
A NEW drug treatment centre unveiled yesterday forms the first phase of the State Government's $77 million assault on Victoria's heroin problem.
The 16-bed drug withdrawal centre in Abbotsford is expected to help nearly 900 drug addicts and homeless people each year.
Acting Premier and Health Minister John Thwaites said the government would spend $12.4 million on detoxification centres that would see the number of residential withdrawal beds increase from 84 to 130 in Victoria by July.
He estimated about 4300 addicts would be treated under the scheme this year.
Overall, the government plans to double the number of drug treatment beds from 400 to 800. Drug users wanting to kick the habit will be treated in less than 10 days under new targets aimed at slashing waiting times for detoxification services.
New youth residential centres in St Kilda, Footscray, Coburg and Surrey Hills have cut waiting times from 30 days in September 1999 to 11 days last September.
The youth services will be expanded to rural Victoria for the first time, with new centres opening in Ballarat and Geelong.
"We want more people to have access to drug treatment services so they can get off drugs and get on with a safer lifestyle," Mr Thwaites said.
Six beds at the Abbotsford centre run by the Salvation Army, which opens today, are set aside for drug-addicted homeless people.
And one bed is reserved for people diverted from the courts on drug-related crimes as part of a new scheme giving police and magistrates the power to send drug offenders into drug assessment and treatment.
By ANNIE LAWSON
09jan01
A NEW drug treatment centre unveiled yesterday forms the first phase of the State Government's $77 million assault on Victoria's heroin problem.
The 16-bed drug withdrawal centre in Abbotsford is expected to help nearly 900 drug addicts and homeless people each year.
Acting Premier and Health Minister John Thwaites said the government would spend $12.4 million on detoxification centres that would see the number of residential withdrawal beds increase from 84 to 130 in Victoria by July.
He estimated about 4300 addicts would be treated under the scheme this year.
Overall, the government plans to double the number of drug treatment beds from 400 to 800. Drug users wanting to kick the habit will be treated in less than 10 days under new targets aimed at slashing waiting times for detoxification services.
New youth residential centres in St Kilda, Footscray, Coburg and Surrey Hills have cut waiting times from 30 days in September 1999 to 11 days last September.
The youth services will be expanded to rural Victoria for the first time, with new centres opening in Ballarat and Geelong.
"We want more people to have access to drug treatment services so they can get off drugs and get on with a safer lifestyle," Mr Thwaites said.
Six beds at the Abbotsford centre run by the Salvation Army, which opens today, are set aside for drug-addicted homeless people.
And one bed is reserved for people diverted from the courts on drug-related crimes as part of a new scheme giving police and magistrates the power to send drug offenders into drug assessment and treatment.