About the Queensland Indigenous alcohol diversion program (QIADP)
- Objectives and outcomes
- Program principles
- Agencies involved
- How does QIADP fit with other programs?
The QIADP is a new pilot treatment program for Indigenous people involved in the criminal justice or child protection systems.
It will be delivered in two streams:
- the criminal justice stream - bail-based diversion into alcohol treatment and case management
- the child safety stream - alcohol treatment offered to parents in cases where the Department of Child Safety has assessed that their child is in need of protection and ongoing intervention.
Under the program, eligible Indigenous people will be placed in treatment and case management programs designed to reduce alcohol-related harm to the individuals and the community will be developed. Participants* will work with caseworkers to set realistic goals related to their use of alcohol.
Objectives and outcomes
The primary goal is to improve Indigenous health and to reduce the number of Indigenous people involved in the criminal justice and child protection systems.
The program is expected to offer a wide range of benefits including:
- reduction in the level of problematic alcohol use and alcohol dependency of program participants
- improved personal health of participants via reduction in the risks associated with the problematic use of alcohol and alcohol dependency leading to reduced demands on the health system
- addressing a participant's alcohol misuse which contributed to their offending or impacts negatively on their parenting through treatment
- improved family life, such as more stable relationships, enhanced parenting skills, and reunification of families
- improved social functioning of participants and their re-integration into the community
- ongoing support and assistance for participants in areas such as education, employment, accommodation and health
- cost savings and reduced pressure on resources for the criminal justice and child protection systems.
Benefits particular to the criminal justice stream of the program include:
- a significant reduction in the seriousness and frequency of re-offending by successful participants
- enhanced sentencing of participants based on detailed information acquired during their participation in the program
- enhanced community protection as participants are closely monitored during their involvement in the program.
Program principles
The QIADP is based on the principles of cultural responsiveness and cultural integration. The program seeks to respect, respond to and integrate with local Indigenous cultural norms and practices in order to make the QIADP as appropriate as possible for its Indigenous participants by:
- employing Indigenous program workers
- enhancing the capacity of the alcohol and drug service delivery sector in the pilot regions
- working closely with Indigenous persons, agencies and communities (including Community Justice Groups and Recognised Entities)
- developing culturally appropriate program resources
- providing relevant staff training on Indigenous issues including cultural competency training.
Service provision will be based on a partnership model where government and the community sector collaboratively deliver a range of treatment, support and aftercare services for Indigenous participants who have been referred to the program.
Queensland Health has funded the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) to employ three Community Engagement Officers, with one position in each of the pilot sites. These positions play an important role in:
- strengthening the partnership between government and the community
- assisting to identifying the strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of services to participants
- providing additional information and opportunities to improve the quality of service delivery and program support.
Agencies involved
QIADP is a major whole-of-Government initiative which operates through the co-operative efforts and contribution of several QLD Government agencies:
- Department of Child Safety
- Department of Communities
- Department of Employment and Industrial Relations
- Department of Housing
- Department of Justice and Attorney General
- Department of the Premier and Cabinet
- Queensland Corrective Services
- Queensland Health
- Queensland Police Service
- Queensland Treasury
The Government agencies work in partnership with a range of non-Government stakeholders to deliver the program. These stakeholders include:
- Community Justice Groups
- Recognised Entities
- Community controlled health service providers
- Legal service providers, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and Legal Aid Queensland
- Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council.
How does QIADP fit with other programs?
The QIADP is complementary to a number of existing drug and alcohol programs in Queensland. Persons who are ineligible for QIADP may be able to access services via these other programs. QIADP participants may also benefit from services offered by some of these programs upon completion of the QIADP.
* The term "participant" is used throughout this website to refer to persons referred into this program and should be taken to include "offenders and alleged offenders", "parent(s)" and "clients" depending on the circumstances.
Last updated: 07 April 2008.