The report into Mission Australia's Triple Care Farm - a residential program in the NSW Southern Highlands for young people (16-24 years) with substance abuse issues - says the service dramatically reduces alcohol and drug use, homelessness, and improves employment and training opportunities by addressing addiction and mental illness at the same time.
According to Mission Australia's CEO, Toby Hall, one-in-four young people experience a mental health condition over any 12 month period. Among this group, approximately half suffer from a substance use disorder.
"Despite this, most services continue to offer young people with drug and alcohol problems help with either their addiction or their mental health, not both," said Mr Hall.
"What we provide at Triple Care Farm - and what this new report shows is a far more effective approach - is combining both drug/alcohol rehab and mental health services. For young people, addiction and mental illness are very often related. They need to be managed together, not separately.
"The fragmentation that occurs between some services offering drug/alcohol rehab while others focus on mental illness increases the chances of young people not getting the help they need.
"Meanwhile, Triple Care Farm can only take 100 enrolments each year and yet receives more than 6000 inquiries from around Australia. That level of demand clearly indicates a national shortage.
"In short, there aren't enough services for this vulnerable group and what exists often isn't effective."
According to Mr Hall, the report, Triple Care Farm: A Safe Place for Change - which will be launched by Australia's pre-eminent youth mental health expert, Professor Patrick McGorry, at NSW Parliament House today - provides a blueprint for the provision of drug/alcohol rehabilitation and mental health services to young people.
"The young people who arrive at Triple Care Farm are usually the most challenging cases. More than 90% are unemployed, 70% have mental health issues, close to 70% have criminal histories, almost 50% are homeless, 79% are chronic cannabis users, 46% are chronic alcohol users. They've usually been through program after program but with no effect.
"But at Triple Care Farm, because of our different approach, we've produced some remarkable results. They're even more astounding when you consider this group are wrestling with the biggest problems."
According to the Triple Care Farm report:
Almost one-in-ten (88 per cent) used at least one drug chronically when starting at TCF. Six months after leaving the service almost half (45 per cent) were abstaining from drug use, while more than half (52 per cent) were abstaining from alcohol.
Approx four-in-five (79 per cent) used cannabis at chronic levels when arriving at TCF. Six months after leaving, only 4 per cent reported chronic cannabis use.
Of 160 former TCF clients surveyed for the report, 91 per cent were unemployed when entering TCF. Six months after leaving, almost half (43 per cent) had some form of paid employment. More than one-third (36 per cent) were in training.
31 per cent of the 160 surveyed were homeless at time of TCF intake. Six months after leaving, only one person in this group reported being homeless.
The proportion of young people in independent housing increased from under one-in-ten (9 per cent) at intake to one quarter (25 per cent) six months after leaving TCF.
"The reason for Triple Care Farm's success is simple: it supports the young people in its care with both their drug/alcohol problems and their mental health issues at the same time.
"Triple Care Farm's program has three parts: residential (residents learn how to undertake straightforward domestic responsibilities including cooking, cleaning and doing laundry); therapeutic (residents are supported with the medical, psychological and behavioural issues associated with addiction and mental illness); and education and learning (residents are supported with skills to find a job).
"While the level of drug use among young Australians has stabilised in recent years, it clearly remains an issue for many thousands of young people and their parents. The number of calls Triple Care Farm receives each year attests to that.
"Illicit drug use is also occurring at a younger age: one in four 14-19 year olds has used an illicit drug in past year, one-in-20 in the past week. And there's a higher rate of suicide and accidental overdose among young users.
"There's no question we need more services like Triple Care Farm and existing youth rehab service providers really need to consider adopting its model because the results speak for themselves," said Mr Hall.
Launch of Triple Care Farm: A Safe Place for Change
- 2pm, Tuesday 12 July
- NSW Parliament Theatrette, Macquarie St
- Special guests: Professor Patrick McGorry, Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health
- The Hon Pru Goward, NSW Minister for Family and Community Services
- Media contact: Paul Andrews (02) 9219 2080 or 0409 665 495
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