cohealth welcomes partnership approach to address impact of methamphetamine supply and use in the community

cohealth, a leading provider of community based health and support services, including specialist programs – Innerspace in Collingwood and Health Works in Footscray – for people who use drugs, welcomes the findings from the inquiry into the supply and use of methamphetamines by the Law Reform, Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee whose recommendations were made public last Wednesday.

“cohealth recognises the seriousness of the harms associated with crystal methamphetamine, however is cognisant that methamphetamine use is nowhere near as prevalent as some media reports would suggest”, Ms Morgain said.

“cohealth commends the Committee’s recommendations for community partnerships such as linking related services such as Alcohol and Other Drug, Mental Health, and Housing, along with workforce development as a key response to use of methamphetamines”, Ms Morgain said.

We need to look at this issue in the broader context that problematic drug and alcohol use is often intertwined with other issues such as poverty, homelessness, lack of education, unemployment, experience of trauma, pre-existing mental health issues and so on, in our society”, she said.

“cohealth welcomes a partnership approach that should also include adequate funding of those services that address systemic disadvantage to address overall health, welfare and education equity”, Ms Morgain said.

“We also support and believe important the availability of therapeutic justice options – to people experiencing problems related to their drug use – via drug courts, Court Integrated Services Program and justice reinvestment as highlighted in the Committee’s recommendations.

“The Committee’s Report underscores that we need a variety of drug safety, prevention and justice services”, Ms Morgain said.