Yarra Drug and Health Forum Strategic Planning Workshop December 1 st 2010

1. Yarra Drug and Health Forum Strategic Planning Workshop December 1st 2010

2. Background The YD&H F was established n 1996 by representatives from a range of community based agencies, traders and residents of the City of Yarra following a public meeting that discussed the recommendations of the then Premier’s Drug Advisory Council. Since that time the Forum and the City of Yarra have been mutually supportive in order to address community needs and issues related to drug use within the city. This has included the joint development of the City of Yarra Local Drug Strategy – October 2000. YDHF Strategic Plan 2002-2003

3. Strategic Plan 2002 The strengths of the Yarra Drug and Health Forum (YD&HF) is among other things the collaborative approach of the agencies, traders and community members to local drug issues and their proximity to the changes occurring at a public policy level and 'on the street'.

4. Strategic Plan 2002 Goals of the Forum To ensure health and community relationships are minimally harmed by drug use in the City of Yarra This includes the impact of drugs on individuals, families and friends, residents and visitors to the area and local businesses; and To provide a focal point for community discussion, consultation and action The Forum and the Yarra Local Drug Strategy will aim to facilitate community involvement, action and community strengthening activities alongside the provision of information and community education about the nature and scope of drug problems and the strategies being implemented to address these problems.

5. Strategic Plan 2002 Objectives – to enable achievement of the goals To raise awareness and increase community understanding of drug and health related issues in the City of Yarra. (Community Education) To plan, promote and enhance collaborative local responses to drug issues. (Coordination) To advocate for the development of policies, practice approaches and services that will facilitate ease of access to assistance, and ensure inclusion for people with a diversity of needs. (Advocacy) To identify service gaps and initiate the implementation to fulfil those needs. (Service delivery and improvement projects)

6. Highlights and Achievements -outcome focused -partnership/collaborative approaches -contribution to higher level policy debate (SIFs) -advances a progressive and credible agenda -community engagement – quality speakers at forums -sharing of information and networking -an exemplary model of success -YDHF structure/governance is very good -links local practice wisdom with broader policy debate

7. Community Education • Issues: • Need to be clearer on the term ‘community’ – which communities are being engaged – health services or wider community – residents – business groups?

8. Coordination and Networking • Issues: • Whilst there is a good representation from a range of agencies and stakeholders it would be worthwhile to consider forums based on themes that may engage additional participants. • Need to ensure that the forum has an ongoing responsibility to engage different parts of the community.

9. Advocacy • Issues: • YDHF should continue to strike a balance between raising issues both specific to Yarra and beyond these boundaries. • Media engagement should be increased/proactive. • Social media should be considered – Facebook – Twitter etc.

10. Service Delivery and Improvements Issues: YDHF has been very effective in improving service delivery through ongoing communication between agencies (meetings). Perhaps a great emphasis on how individual agencies who are members of the forum can take on a broader community education role. Advocacy and coordination is the forum’s primary means of action

11. Goals and Objectives • The following (select) list reflects discussion about future goals and objectives for YDHF. • It was acknowledged that these range from those that could be immediately implemented to those that are more aspirational. • Twenty three points were identified.

12. Goals and Objectives • Working with GPs in the area to get more ORT/OST prescribers • Working on the immediate pre- and post-release needs of prisoners; treatment and service planning for prisoners post-release. • The recommendations from the recent Parliamentary inquiry into reducing recidivism rates among female prisoners may be instructive • Film the Community Forums; disseminate via a ‘cooler’ website and YouTube • Further develop website – explore opportunities to secure pro bono assistance in development. An improved website might reach a broader audience

13. Goals and Objectives • Pursue the SIF paper and continue advocacy to new government; put together a collection of essays/pieces on SIFs from key advocates • Active research • Establish relationships with ministers in the new government; advocate for reinstatement of full time EO and increased resources • Develop relationships and responsive information sharing/engagement with emergency services, particularly regarding trends (eg. Ambulance, St Vincents) • Joint advocacy around provision of Naloxone for overdose witnesses (not just peers/other users) • Advocacy around a (prescribed) heroin trial – what opportunities are presented by the election of a new government?

14. Goals and Objectives • Increasing community understanding of impact of public injecting – informed by Burnet Institute research. Possibility to partner or link in with HRV, engage with Council and other agencies. • Capitalise on the new government’s focus on alcohol and violence – is there a particular role for the Forum? Poly-drug use? • Prescription drug misuse – can the Forum engage local resources, eg. St Vincents specialists? • NSPs report ‘huge’ and ‘massive’ increases (over and above normal annual increases and patterns) in steroid use among young people – how can the Forum engage in this issue? • Source money for an independent evaluation of the work and directions of the Forum

15. Goals and Objectives • Advocacy around responsiveness of mental health services in meeting the needs of clients with dual diagnosis, multiple and complex needs and high prevalence disorders • Inadequate facilities • Strengthen partnerships with police and other key stakeholders • Police view alcohol and violence and mental health/dual diagnosis as having particular traction. Danny may bring Rod Wilson and Paul Ross to Forum. • Consider and better articulate the benefits of particular interventions and actions (eg. SIF, prescription heroin) for police and public safety. Increase community education around these activities given the perception of community safety is critical.

16. Goals and Objectives • Employ cost-benefit analyses and use the language of economics. • Link advocacy to evidence. • Link in with/hold specific events around particular days – eg. World Aids Day, Drug Action Week. Agencies could then further this promotion. • Forum could coordinate a number of representatives that would be available to provide community education on a request basis – a ‘speaker bank’. To support this, the Forum could collate a list of people who have a training/education qualification.

17. Example – ARC Linkage Grant • Benefits and appeal of evidence-based, local research • Call for agencies to demonstrate commitment and partnership approach • Capacity for local participants to gain local feedback from research findings • Opportunity to demonstrate benefits for police is one component of the research

18. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Strengths: • High quality of executive officers – also feeds off good reputation of Forum • Independent of government • Executive committee and structures – support, supervision, accountability • Specialist knowledge of AOD workforce • Cross-sectoral • Diversity of membership (government, clinicians, managers, HR, VicPol) • Interface between local issues/service provision and input into policy and advocacy • Good governance, including transparent decision making processes and leadership

19. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Strengths: • Strengths-based approach – forum adopts an appreciative enquiry approach that identifies opportunities • Draws on the ‘affective domain’ in activities- Passion, commitment, motivation • Flexibility and responsiveness, but requires capacity and resources • Apolitical • Continuity of membership • Good support and relationships with DH PASAs

20. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Weaknesses: • Part-time staff • Limited resources • Utilisation and coordination of resources could be improved • Competing demands - members are already committed and busy in their primary roles • Scope and possibilities/areas for action are so broad • Are the competing mandates of member agencies a weakness, for example contrasting views on SIF? • Limited engagement with specific interest groups can inhibit buy-in • Unfocussed, a risk of lack of clear direction • Bounded – geographic boundary

21. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Weaknesses: • Need to balance local needs with wider policy action and value • Concentration of services? • Perception that Forum tends toward a particular political bias - ‘leftie’, etc. • Lack of succession planning • Leadership development could be improved • Difficulty in getting people to nominate for the Executive – perhaps a result of perception that there is a significant workload • Funders

22. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Opportunities: • Leadership development/mentoring • New government – including changes to justice system, law enforcement • New government lacks a drugs policy • Law and order issues in spotlight – opportunity to make linkages • Local Member Richard Wynne may be able to re-engage with forum • National Health Reform – how local structures and services will fit together. Could also be a THREAT • Taking part in local research via local research agendas • Local reputation as an ongoing ‘hotspot’ (increasing crime and overdoses) attracts attention, services and resources • Framing partnerships as a topical issue in terms of law and order (ORT, crime)

23. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Opportunities: • New government focus on management of alcohol in public places – links to public safety, amenity, planning, service provision • Develop issues paper: Frame issues and links between Forum aims and law and order language for decision makers • Other network linkages • Targeted and prioritised media engagement/strategy • Changing political landscape opens opportunity to work with Greens as a political force • Relationships with local government • Relationship with police command • Forum should focus on advocacy and encouraging debate as most other forums are about information sharing

24. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Threats: • Funding – ‘soft’ money under new government; no guarantees of ongoing funding both in terms of amount or sources • Change of state government and political landscape • National Health Reform • Ideological rifts across organisations could jeopardise forum cohesiveness • Risk that organisations will disengage • Relationships with local government

25. S.W.O.T. Analysis • Threats: • Relationship with police command; changing boundaries/jurisdictions; the perception of Yarra Police Service Area (PSA) as a subsidiary of CBD force may represent a threat to police commitment to YDHF but could be a potential opportunity to initiate a Melbourne forum. Need for key police players to sustain engagement with Forum. • Unrealistic expectations? • Spreading resources too thin • Dynamic and changing municipality – population growth, changing demographics, gentrification, service site affordability • Competing with other forums and activities in AOD sector