A Recovery Space for Trans, Gender Diverse and Non-Binary People
Join our National Campaign to establish specialist residential services for trans, gender diverse and non-binary people who are wanting to make changes to their alcohol and other drug use.
Some people use substances without experiencing any significant short or long-term harm. However, there is a proportion of the population who require treatment, care and support to reduce harms from their substance use.
Trans, gender diverse and non-binary people can face significant barriers to accessing AOD support when they are looking to make changes to their substance use. Particularly those seeking residential treatment options.
Insufficient Data...
In Australia, there has been a significant lack of demographic data collected about trans, gender diverse and non-binary people seeking, accessing, and engaging in AOD services given it historically hasn’t been a compulsory requirement in the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set.
"despite increased burden, this populations service needs, treatment experiences, and treatment outcomes remain largely invisible" (Freestone et al. 2021).
Priority Population...
The National Drug Strategy 2017-2026 recognises seven ‘priority populations’ who are known to experience higher rates of disproportionate harm (direct and indirect) associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The strategy recognises the LGBTIQ+SB community as one of the seven priority populations.
While we know that most LGBTIQ+SB people who use alcohol and other drugs (AOD) do so with few to no harms, those that do experience harmful or dependent patterns of use face a range of specific challenges. Different aspects of a person’s identity can expose them to overlapping barriers to accessing support.
The National Framework...
The National Framework for AOD Treatment facilitates strategic planning for the Australian treatment service system and provides the context for national and state treatment processes, programs and policies. The Framework identifies 6 principles that are required to be implemented in all aspects of treatment including policies and procedures, practice approaches, models of care, treatment pathways, training and quality improvement activities. The 6 principle that should underpin all AOD treatment interventions in Australia are:
- Person-Centred
- Equitable and Accessible
- Evidence-Informed
- Culturally Responsive
- Holistic and Coordinated
- Non-Judgemental, Non-Stigmatising and Non-Discriminatory
The Inquiry...
☑️Following a referral from the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, on 22 August 2024 the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport commenced an inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia.
✅ The Committee accepted the Minister's request to undertake a health-focused review of alcohol and other drugs policy, treatment services, community programs, and workforce, to determine whether the current settings appropriately support the prevention, reduction and recovery of alcohol and other drugs-related health harms on individuals, families and communities.
☑️The evidence confirmed that the present funding allocation across the three pillars of the National Drug Strategy has been strongly weighted towards law enforcement efforts aimed at reducing supply. AOD sector representatives repeatedly raised concerns relating to the present funding imbalance, insisting that more needs to be done to refocus Australia’s policy toward a health-led response to AOD harm.
More Evidence...
✅ The Committee received evidence about a range of issues pertaining to current AOD service delivery, including the need for developing AOD responses tailored to different communities.
☑️The Committee heard evidence that mainstream AOD services are frequently not set up for the LGBTIQ+ population, which was reflected in residential rehabilitation programs often being segregated by gender. This approach is said to make these programs unsafe for some trans and gender diverse people.
✅ ACON further explained that many services in the community are run by faith-based organisations, and "while the work of these organisations is admirable, accessing such services can be challenging for members of the LGBTIQ+ community for fear of discrimination".
Where To From Here...
The Committee accepts that it is appropriate to provide a more tailored approach to tackling the impacts of AOD for the priority populations identified with the National Drug Strategy 2017–2026.
PRISM is a groundbreaking campaign championing the establishment of residential recovery spaces for trans, gender diverse and non-binary people in Australia people who want to make changes to their substance use.
Be part of something extraordinary and join the PRISM campaign today!