After years of community demand, a drug and alcohol rehab facility for Western NSW could be open as soon as 2024.
Western NSW Local Health District has reached an agreement to purchase a 4-hectare site in Spears Drive, in West Dubbo.
The undeveloped land is expected to be home to a 16-bed drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation centre. It will also include four withdrawal beds.
Western NSW LHD chief executive Mark Spittal said the health district would continue working with the Dubbo Aboriginal Land Council and broaden its consultation with the community in a designing-on-country process to ensure the service developed was culturally safe and appropriate.
"The size of land enables us to really ensure the privacy of those that are going to use the facility, also to ensure the privacy of the wider neighbourhood and community," he said.
"When I talk about a facility, really I'm talking about something that looks and feels like a residential house in that community.
"It's not a public facility like a school or like a church or hospital that feels a bit different in the community, it will be designed to meet and fit into its environment, because that's all an important part of the rehabilitation process."
Pending application approvals and community consultation, it is expected to operate toward the end of 2024.
A long time coming
A detoxification and residential rehab facility was slated for Dubbo in 2019 after the federal government allocated $3 million toward developing a facility.
The NSW government made the promise a reality in November 2020 when it announced $7.5 million over two years for the construction and operation of the centre.
The onset of COVID-19 delayed the process, with NSW Health taking on the project to secure land in February 2022. It has committed an additional $2 million to purchase the land.
Mr Spittal said they looked at almost 40 locations, before securing one in West Dubbo.
"Rehabilitation is not just about being a room with counselling, it's about re-integrating into your wider life, it's ultimately about connecting with employment, reconnecting with family," he said.
"On that site, part of our vision is to have residential facilities, that as people get through their therapy, they're able to stay and transition back into community life in a really effective way, so that they're not just suddenly abandoned at the end of the therapeutic program."
Currently, the closest government-funded centres catering to all are more than four hours away.
Services available in the meantime
A number of community-based rehabilitation services are being offered by the health district in the interim while the facility is being designed and built.
Director of mental health, drug and alcohol for the Western NSW LHD Jason Crisp said a residential rehab was just one part of many drug and alcohol services suitable for people.
There is a range of community-based programs and services available through non-government and private organisations in the Dubbo area, including Lives Lived Well, Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service, Bila Muuji Aboriginal Corporation Health Service, Mission Australia, Family Drug Support and the Western NSW Primary Health Network.
There is also help available through the Drug and Alcohol Helpline (1300 877 000).
