Site announced for Gippsland’s youth residential rehabilitation facility

A new youth residential rehabilitation facility is planned for Traralgon, providing more support for young regional Victorians suffering from problematic alcohol and other drug use.

The 20-bed referral service will provide an environment for young people aged 16-25 years to address their alcohol and drug misuse and develop skills that will help them re-enter the community.
 

Gippsland’s first residential rehab centre

Slated to begin operations in 2020-21, the new facility will provide services to more than 80 young people a year. The Traralgon service will be the first alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation facility in the Gippsland region, providing local access for people who currently have to travel to Eltham or Hastings for residential rehabilitation.

Residential rehabilitation services deliver a range of treatments, including individual and group counselling and skills development with an emphasis on self-help and peer support.

Alongside the site announcement, a process to select the facility’s service provider has begun. Appointing a service provider at this early stage will allow the successful provider to work closely with the local community, builder and architects to make sure the service is tailored to community needs.
 

Expanding rehabilitation services

The new facility is funded via a $14 million investment by the Victorian Government and is part of a larger ongoing expansion of residential rehabilitation beds in Victoria.

Through the 2018-19 State Budget’s Ice Action Plan and Drug Rehabilitation Plan the Victorian Government is more than doubling the number of residential rehabilitation beds – from 208 beds in 2014-15 to a total of 492 when all facilities become fully operational.
 

A big investment in regional alcohol and other drug services

The Victorian Government’s investment is significant, with $9.7 million allocated to acquire land for new residential rehabilitation facilities, including the Traralgon youth facility and two adult facilities in Corio and Wangaratta.

More than $40 million is being funded to build alcohol and other drug facilities in the Barwon, Hume and Gippsland regions. Approximately 800 more Victorians each year will be able to access rehabilitation services once all beds are operational, with over half the new beds based in regional Victoria.
 

Day rehabilitation programs included in alcohol and other drug service mix

Recognising that residential treatment isn’t suitable for some people, the government is also investing in new community-based day rehabilitation programs. These programs will create up to 500 places for Victorians across a range of locations, including Morwell, Shepparton, Mildura, Ballarat, Geelong, Warrnambool, Moe and Bendigo.