Testimonials hanging on the wall of the reception area at the Ted Noffs Foundation offer insight into the impact its program has had on some of the young people who have stayed there while struggling with drug and alcohol dependency.
"You guys completely changed my life… since graduating, I've not touched any type of drug," reads one.
"All of you saved my life," wrote another.
The foundation's Program for Adolescent Life Management is one of the services set to receive part of $13 million going towards addiction drug and alcohol treatment facilities in the upcoming ACT budget.
It follows the ACT government's announcement last month that it was endorsing a bill to decriminalise small amounts of commonly used illicit drugs, such as ice, heroin, cocaine and speed.
'We want a place where young people feel safe'
Lachlan Dean, who manages the foundation, said the $1.4 million would go towards a redevelopment that was badly needed.
Currently, the facility can only house 10 clients — aged between 12 and 18 — at a time, but with the cash injection it will double.
"This building is an aged care facility, at its essence, so it doesn't have a feeling of being at home," Mr Dean said.
"There isn't a feeling of ownership for the young people."
He said they would use the money to make the centre safer, including by removing areas where young people could easily self-harm.
"We want a place where young people feel safe, where young people are safe, where we can monitor and observe, and there aren't things like hanging points," he said.
Mr Dean said the stakes were high when it came to helping young people rebuild their lives, but a better facility would help prevent the worst-case scenario.
"If we get it wrong, if they leave because we're not doing a good enough job, it can have really serious consequences," he said.
He said the therapeutic treatment model they employed was "not for everyone that uses drugs, and not for every young person".
"Normally, there's a lot of trauma, there's a lot of family dynamics that make being out in the community really risky," he said.
"If they're here and on-site, we can work on a whole range of issues, rather than just doing some counselling on their drug and alcohol use.
"We can work on those living skills, we can work on their ability to manage anger, emotions, all of those things."
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the redevelopment would take three to four years to reach completion.
"This year, the funding will go to that really detailed design, getting towards that development application process, and then once the construction starts, it'll probably occur pretty quickly."
Government consulting those with 'lived experience' of addiction
This is the latest announcement from the ACT government that takes a more health-based approach to the issue of addiction, following its decision to endorse decriminalisation legislation last month.
Under the proposed law, people found with amounts considered to be "personal possession" — smaller than trafficable quantities — would be subject to fines rather than criminal charges.
Part of the $13 million will also go towards transitioning the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm from a day program to residential, establishing a specialised service for methamphetamine users, and providing greater support for families and carers.
Ms Stephen-Smith said they were consulting people who had lived with addiction and substance abuse as they rolled out the funding, to ensure it went to the right places.
"These services are being developed in partnership with our community experts," she said.
"People with lived experience and those non-government organisations that deliver alcohol and drug services in our community."
Ms Stephen-Smith said these investments, just like the government's drug decriminalisation strategy, were "aimed at reducing harm from alcohol and other drug use".
"The ACT government regards drug dependency as a health issue, not a justice issue," Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
"Additional funding into services like these is an important part of our health based approach to supporting people with drug addiction."
But the Australian Federal Police Association has renewed its concerns over the timeline of the budget announcement alongside the roll-out of decriminalisation law.
President Alex Caruana said while he welcomed the news, it seemed like the government was putting "the cart before the horse".
The association had previously said it wanted to see evidence treatment and harm minimisation programs worked effectively before decriminalisation was enacted.
"There is probably still going to be a gap between the implementation of these funding initiatives and the introduction of decriminalisation of illicit substances," Mr Caruana said.
"We need to make sure that we have the capability in place for the people that are going to want or need the help."
The ACT budget will be handed down on Tuesday.
