Update 1 – Reform Agenda for the Alcohol and other Drug Sector in Tasmania

Update #1 

Welcome to the first ATDC member update for the Reform Agenda for the Alcohol and other Drug Sector in Tasmania.

What’s been happening?

Business Case for an independent lived experience organisation for Tasmania’s AOD sector

I would like to thank all of our members who made valuable contributions to ‘The Time is Now’: The Business Case for an Independent Lived Experience Organisation for Tasmania’s Alcohol and other Drug Sector.  This was submitted in October 2022 to the State Department of Treasury and Finance  and is the  key priority for the community-managed sector for the 2023-24 State Budget.  The ATDC expects to hear the outcome of the submission in May.

Reform Agenda Program Control Group

All Reform Projects are guided and endorsed by members of the AOD Reform Program Control Group.  After a five-month hiatus, these bi-monthly meetings recommenced in November 2022 with an expanded membership that includes representation from three ATDC member organisations and one Lived Experience Advocate.  For more information on the AOD Reform Program Control Group, please contact Greg.

What’s Next?

Toward an Implementation Plan: ‘Next Steps’ Consultation

The Department of Health, Tasmania, on behalf of the Tasmanian Government, wants to hear from people within the AOD sector to understand priorities and suggestions for implementing the remaining key actions with the Reform Agenda.  Zoe Bok and Kayley Luttrell from the AOD Reform Team have proposed the following staged consultation plan to draft an Implementation Plan.

Stage 1 – February Consultations Small Focus Group and team meetings online in February

Stage 2 – March Consultations Three large regional workshops in the North, North-West and South in March

Stage 3- 2023-24 Implementation Plan Implementation Plan to be finalised and 2024-25 Investment Brief (drafted)

The purpose of these consultations is to reintroduce the AOD Reform Agenda, acknowledge progress made to date, and gain an excellent contemporary understanding of sector priorities of the remaining key actions within the AOD Reform Agenda.  These consultations will inform the Implementation Plan that is slated to be drafted in June and July.

Attachment 2 – AOD Consultation Communique Jan 2023

Guidelines for Lived Experience Participation in Reform Projects

Following the development of the Business Case for the independent lived experience organisation, the ATDC will now lead one of five reform projects titled the ‘Lived Experience Representation Project’.   This document will provide guidelines for how all current and future AOD Reform Project can best engage the voices of people with lived experience of alcohol and other drugs.  Following feedback from the Lived Experience Advocate Service, the guidelines will go to the Project Control Group for comment and endorsement in late February.

Are we missing something?

Want to raise an issue relating to the Reform Agenda?   Email me here or call the ATDC office on (03) 6231 5002

Best wishes,

Greg