Member for Murray Helen Dalton is leading a call for a dedicated drug and alcohol rehab centre for the Murrumbidgee, two years after the special inquiry into methamphetamines.
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The Special Commission of Inquiry into the drug 'Ice' recommendations were released in May 2020, highlighting especially a need for rehabilitation resources in regional and rural Australia.
Mrs Dalton said that despite that, the government hasn't done anything.
"We are desperately under resourced. The consequences of this are devastating," she said.
"I'm aware of mothers who need to attend drug rehab in order to maintain custody of their children, but because there are no facilities in our region, their children are taken away and placed into foster care."
Adrian, who requested not to use his last name, is a recovering addict who has been to rehab and was fully supportive of the clinic.
"There's plenty of people around here who need help, and there's still that stigma around being an alcoholic or an addict," he said.
"Addiction is hereditary, it's a disease and it's recognised as one. There's a lot of people around who want help but they don't know where to turn. It's hard for them."
He explained that rehabilitation was about taking 'time out' from other issues and addressing underlying issues behind the addiction.
"It's about taking time out from the real world. There's always a reason somebody is an addict."
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Adrian now assists others through Alcoholics Anonymous, as the 12th step in the program states. He explained that nobody can help an addict quite like another recovering addict, as "they understand exactly what you're going through".
"[Recovery] is not easy, but it's a hell of a lot better than it was before ... there's Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous in Griffith and Leeton and there's people there that've been through what you've been through," he said.
Mrs Dalton said that she would be taking a trip to the Dubbo Specialist and Rehabilitation Centre soon, to scope out how rehab centres should be run.
"I want to go up and see the Dubbo facility, see how that's run and see what we need ... I'm not sure how it runs but I'm keen to see how Dubbo has set theirs up. I'll be going there next month."
"A lot of the time if you need rehab, you have to leave the area and that can be a real impediment to people who need the support of their families. We need to have that facility close to their families and support network."
Currently, those in need of help in Griffith can contact the Griffith Community Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Service at 175 Yambil Street, and Narcotics Anonymous meets at the Community Centre every Wednesday from 7.30pm. Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the Community Centre every Thursday from 8pm.
Adrian finished with a message of hope.
"There's always been this stigma around being an addict, but I think that wall is starting to be broken down ... a beautiful person can turn into someone ugly, but that beautiful person is still there."
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