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NEW AUGUST 14As the mother of a middle-aged man with bipolar disease, `Margaret’ is used to dealing with tough situations. Her son `Bill’ is reluctant to seek help when entering the manic stages of his disease and is equally reluctant to face up to his drug and alcohol problems.
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A new support program is being planned for carers of people with drug and alcohol problems in the Warrnambool community. The Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre (WRAD) will host a `Caring for Carers’ soup celebration lunch on August 26 where ideas for an ongoing support system will be discussed.
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2010 WINTER NEWSLETTER UPLOADED |
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Click on the nesletter tab above to read our latest newsletter
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Carers in the Warrnambool community can receive some support in return at a special function at the WRAD Centre on Thursday. WRAD has invited families, workers, neighbours, volunteers and all other members of the south west community to attend a “soup luncheon” in recognition of ‘Caring for the Carers’.
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FREE HEALTH CHECKS AT WRAD FOR DRUG ACTION WEEK |
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 Dozens of people took advantage of free health tests today at WRAD.
The free health check-ups are part of a special promotion for Drug Action Week.
Dennis Chapman wasamong those to receive the check ups.
The free tests included blood sugar and blood pressure readings.
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WRAD'S AWARD WINNING POSTER |
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DUAL DIAGNOSIS POSTER WINS STATE AWARD |
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A Warrnambool poster depicting the links between drug and alcohol problems and mental illness has won a state award.The `Your Place or Mine’ poster has been named ahead of 33 others as the best entrant at the Victorian Dual Diagnosis Initiative Improved Services conference in Lorne.
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LINKS PROJECT SUCCESS HIGHLIGHTED AT CONFERENCE |
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The success of a WRAD co-morbidity project is being highlighted at a state conference.
The project linking WRAD and South West Psychiatric Services has resulted in substantial service improvements and enhanced collaboration.
Clinical manager Daryl Fitgibbon and co-morbidity project worker Maya Raschel are presenting details of the s program at an Improved Services Conference at Lorne during June.
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MEDIA COVERAGE FOR COLLECTA-BOOL |
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NEARLY 40 EXHIBITS FOR COLLECTA-BOOL |
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Nearly 40 exhibitors will be involved in the Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre’s Rotary Collecta-Bool in Warrnambool this Easter weekend. Collecta-Bool organiser Rick Bayne said more collections had been added over the past week. “The Civic Hall at the Warrnambool Entertainment Centre will be packed with collections ranging from buttons and perfume bottles to speedway and rock’n’roll.” “Some of these items have never been on public display before and might not be shown again,” Mr Bayne said. “There will be something for all ages’
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WRADlink runner-up in community awards |
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The WRADlink program has been rewarded for its contribution to the south-west Victorian community.
WRADlink was runner-up in a major community awards program announced in Warrnambool on March 26.
Southern Way’s All Abilities Debutante Ball and Warrnambool City Council’s Gnatanwarr Festival were named as winners of the 2010 Community Southwest - WDEA Collaboration and Social Inclusion awards.
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STEWART'S SPEEDWAY GEAR ON DISPLAY |
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Stewart Owen was there when Premier Speedway Club held its first meeting on February 8, 1958 at the Warrnambool racecourse. On that occasion he was a spectator but that didn’t last for long. “At the second event I stuck my head in the pits and some guy said `what are you doing, can you take these papers up to the office’,” Stewart said. That started his association as announcer, statistician and historian for the speedway, an association that lasted for 46 years.
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MICKEY MOUSE, BEATLES AND STAR TREK ADDED TO COLLECTA-BOOL |
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A childhood gift of a Mickey Mouse watch, a grandfather who loved The Beatles and a revival of an old TV show set Andrea Beeston on the road to becoming a serious collector. Those early influences have stayed with Andrea who has developed terrific collections of Mickey Mouse, Beatles and Star Trek memorabilia. Andrea has agreed to share some of her special collections at the Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre’s Rotary Collecta-Bool on April 3-4, Easter Saturday and Sunday, at the Warrnambool Entertainment Centre.
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WRAD AUTUMN NEWSLETTER IS NOW UPLOADED |
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Click on the `newsletter' link at the top of the page to see our latest newsletter
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WRADlink A FINALIST IN COMMUNITY SOUTHWEST AWARDS |
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Our WRADlink program has been named as one of seven finalists in the Community Southwest's annual awards program.
WRADlink was chosen from more than 20 entrants in the awards.
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Thanks to all our Collecta-Bool Sponsors ROTARY CLUBS OF WARRNAMBOL
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30 EXHIBITS CONFIRMED FOR COLLECTA-BOOL |
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The Rotary Collecta-Bool Fair at the Warrnambool Entertainment Centre now has a terrifici line-up of 30 exhibits.
The fair will be from 10am-4pm on Easter Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4.
Among the latest confirmed exhibitis are:
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ROTARY TO SUPPORT COLLECTA-BOOL |
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Warrnambool’s Rotary clubs have joined forces to support local drug and alcohol services. The four clubs have become major sponsors of the Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre’s (WRAD) Collecta-Bool which will be staged on Easter Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4 at the Warrnambool Civic Hall. The event will now be known as Rotary Collecta-Bool.
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COLLABORATION THEME OF COMMUNITY SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE (new February 1) |
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Towards 2020 Conference – Warrnambool March 25 & 26, 2010 If you are associated with a Not for Profit organisation you will benefit from being involved in Community Southwest’s Towards 2020 Conference. The conference will provide invaluable insights, information and connections and help prepare you for the challenges that the future holds. Two of Australia’s most influential decision makers for the Not for Profit sector will be keynote speakers at the Conference.
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WRAD to host trivia night |
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WRAD will host a trivia night on Saturday, March 27 to raise funds for local alcohol and drug programs.
The event will be held at the Southern Way meeting room and all money raised will go towards staging Collecta-Bool on April 3-4 at the Warrnambool Entertainment Centre. Collecta-Bool supports WRAD's programs.
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SPECIAL SPEEDWAY EXHIBIT AT COLLECTA-BOOL (new January 19) |
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A special collection of speedway memorabilia will be a highlight of Collecta-Bool in Warrnambool’s Civic Hall at Easter. Vintage sprintcars, models, posters, standees, videos, magazines and more will be featured as part of the Collecta-Bool fair which is a fund-raiser for not-for-profit organisation The Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre (WRAD). It will be staged on Easter Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4.
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LAWYER SUGGESTS LEGAL HEROIN FOR TERMINAL PATIENTS (new January 19, 2010) |
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THE legalisation of heroin debate continues to rage, with a West Australian lawyer the latest to join the fight.
Perth lawyer John Hammond, who represented deceased right-to-die campaigner Christian Rossiter, said severely ill people who want to kill themselves should be given heroin, reports News.com.au.
"Heroin should be available to medical practitioners to be used legally in a controlled medical setting,'' Hammond said.
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MORE EXHIBITS FOR COLLECTA-BOOL (updated January 15) |
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A great range of speedway memorabilia will be on display at WRAD's Collecta-Bool on April 3-4 at the Warrnambool Civic Centre.
A 1958 vintage sprintcar, magazines, models, posters and other speedway items will form part of a wide-ranging display at the fair.
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WRADlink to continue (new January 11) |
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The WRADlink program will continue for a further 12 months with a new co-ordinator at the helm.
WRADlink pilot project has been extended for a further 12-month period to December 2010 and we are now seeking a new program co-ordinator. The project is to continue the development of a hub for people addressing alcohol and drug problems and offer the client a unique opportunity to access multi-service group programs as part of a structured supportive initiative
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COLLECTA-BOOL RETURNS IN APRIL (new January 7) |
Warrnambool will have a new attraction next Easter with a major collectables fair to be staged in the Civic Hall. Collecta-Bool will showcase rare private collections from around the Warrnambool area as a fund-raiser for not-for-profit organisation The Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre (WRAD). It will be staged on Easter Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4. 
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WRAD SUPPORTS CAR SMOKING BAN (new January 4) |
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WRAD strongly supports a Victorian initiative to ban smoking in cars carrying children and has called for the law to be expanded.From January 1 Victorian drivers caught smoking with children in the car face a $200 fine. The new tobacco laws also restrict the sale of novelty cigarettes designed to appeal to children.
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$100,000 DONATION A BOON FOR WRAD (new January 4, 2010) |
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WRAD has received a $100,000 New Year’s present from its most generous benefactor.Western District businessman and philanthropist Geoff Handbury, AO, has just confirmed the $100,000 donation – bringing his total donations to WRAD over the past four years to $400,000.
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LOCAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL PLAN TO BE RELEASED |
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A high rate of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths and continuing problems with alcohol have been highlighted in a new Local Area Drug Action Plan (LADAP). The LADAP Committee is about to launch a new report and action plan for 2009-2011 for the City of Warrnambool, Shire of Corangamite and Shire of Moyne.
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SOCIAL APPROACH SUGGESTED BY AGM SPEAKER |
Visiting New Zealand addictions expert Associate Professor Peter Adams has urged people to think about a social approach to help people overcome their drug and alcohol additions.  Speaking at the WRAD AGM on November 24, he said it was important that the existing focus on biological and psychological treatments be matched by a “social approach”.
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WRAD report highlights alcohol problem (added November 24) |
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Alcohol continues to create the most serious drug problems in south-west Victoria, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of people seeking support from the Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre. The statistic is contained in the WRAD 2008-09 annual report released tonight.
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DATE SET FOR WRAD AGM (updated November 6) |
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THE WRAD annual meeting will be held at the WRAD Centre on November 24. The meeting was ioriginally scheduled for November 10 but was postponed to fit the schedule of special guest speaker Associate Professor Peter Adams, from New Zealand.
Associate Professor Adams has played an active role in forming a violence collective, establishing innovations in mental health, chairing a Problem Gambling Foundation and fostering workplace initiatives with a community focus.
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VALE DAVID RICHARDS (added October 15) |
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WRAD regrets to announce the death of former long-serving drug and alcohol doctor David Richards. David spent seven years with WRAD before his retirement at age 70 in early 2008. David was a strong supporter of education and cohesive support for people with drug and alcohol problems, and he was a strong advocate of the WRAD Centre, saying the operation was unique in country Australia and should be duplicated in other areas and better funded.
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WRAD JOINS EXPERTS IN SUPPORTING TRIAL OF LEGAL HEROIN (new Sept 23) |
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WRAD has backed calls to legalise heroin on a trial basis for people who have been unable to beat their addiction.
saying allowing doctors to prescribe the drug to addicts would prevent fatal overdoses and slash crime figures.
Director Geoff Soma said allowing doctors to prescribe the drug to addicts would reduce crime and fatal overdoses.
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CHANGES FOR WRADLINK PROGRAM (new Aug 28) |
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A pilot program helping people with alcohol and drug problems has been altered to become more flexible to the community. WRADlink started in Warrnambool earlier this year as a four-week, full-time program designed to help clients improve their life skills. It has now been converted to a 14-week part-time program for separate male and female groups. WRAD is lead agency in the joint venture with Community College Warrnambool, Community Connections and Western District Employment Access. Warrnambool City Council has leased the building in Fairy Street without charge for a 12-month pilot program.
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TEEN DRINKING - NO EASY SOLUTION (new August 13) |
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Teenage alcohol use is back in the news with reports that allowing young people an early drink could desensitise them to alcohol.
Professor John Toumbourou, an expert in adolescent psychology at Deakin University, was this week reported as saying research had proven that it was wrong to claim parents who allowed their children to drink under supervision brought up adults who could control their drinking. Professor Toumbourou said evidence indicated the practice of allowing children to drink in moderation at home would increase the likelihood the teenager would go on to drink more alcohol more frequently. He said teens exposed to even small amounts of alcohol in early adolescence developed a tolerance to its effects. He backed new national alcohol guidelines that were updated in March to say children should be banned from drinking until they are 18.
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RADIO CHIEF JOINS WRAD BOARD (new July 31) |
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Radio station manager Peter Headen has joined the WRAD Board of Management and hopes to use his marketing expertise to lift the profile of the organisation.Peter has an extensive managerial background in the radio industry and has been in Warrnambool for 13 years as general manager of Coast FM/3YB and national sales manager for the ACE Radio Network. He came to that role after serving as sales manager for the network’s Horsham station and prior to that ran his own business in Horsham, the Roundabout Lunchtime.
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ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION STILL A CONCERN |
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South-west residents are continuing to drink themselves to bad health at alarming levels. New figures released by the Western Region Alcohol and Drug (WRAD) Centre show 56 per cent of people seeking help at the centre are suffering from alcohol problems.While other substances such as designer drugs are emerging as an increasing problem in south-west areas, alcohol remains the number one issue.
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RURAL AREAS FACE UNIQUE ISSUES - REPORT (new, June 25) |
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Regional and remote communities face unique pressures when dealing with issues relating to the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, according to the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia. (ADCA)Alcohol has been identified as the substance of most concern among rural and regional health workers (ANCD, 2002a) and research indicates that a greater proportion of men living outside the capital cities in Australia report consuming hazardous levels of alcohol. (Bull, Melissa, “Crime in Rural Australia”, Federation Press, 2007, pg 73)
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DRUG ACTION WEEK ACTIVITIES (new, June 25) |
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A broad range of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) issues form the focus for this year’s Drug Action Week from June 21-27.With the overarching theme of Alcohol is a drug – TOO!, Drug Action Week 2009 will have a daily focus on: Alcohol and Other Drugs in the Community Prevention and Treatment Indigenous People/ Rural Australia Binge Drinking; and Co-morbidity
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WRADLINK PRAISED FOR INNOVATIVE APPROACH (new June 19) |
An eight-year battle to secure a multi-disciplinary support service for alcohol and drug clients in Warrnambool has finally come to fruition. Mayor Cr Michael Neoh officially opened the new WRADlink program on June 18 and said he was impressed by the holistic approach to helping people with alcohol and drug problems. Other speakers echoed that sentiment and praised the level of collaboration between the join t venture partners.
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Carers and families affected by drug and alcohol issues will have the opportunity to have input into treatment available in the Warrnambool area.The Western Region Alcohol and Drug (WRAD) Centre is hoping to get input from people close to the issue and exploring ways of involving this group more effectively .
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WRAD TO HOST FILM DISCUSSION |
 Film Night/ Discussion.
For those Carers and Family members affected by Alcohol and Drug use
CANDY (MA)NOTHING SWEET ABOUT ADDICTION
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PHARMACOTHERAPY FUNDING BREAKTHROUGH (new June 3) |
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Warrnambool’s only specialist pharmacotherapy service will continue after receiving new government funding. WRAD)had feared the local service would be forced to close by the end of June due to insufficient financial support. However, Director Geoff Soma said the centre had received funding from the Department of Human Services for a pharmacotherapy outreach worker which would allow the service to continue. The department has also agreed to review the situation with a lack of pharmacotherapy prescribers in the south west.
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OFFICIAL OPENING FOR WRADLINK (new May 29) |
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The new WRADlink Centre will be officially opened on June 18.
WRADlink is an innovative program to enhance the living skills, job preparedness, budgeting skills and more for people who have been affected by long-term alcohol and drug use.
It is a joint venture between WRAD, Community Connections, Community College Warrnambool and Western District Employment Access.
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$100,000 GIFT A GREAT BOOST (new May 21) |
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The Handbury family has again shown tremendous support for The WRAD Centre with a third donation of $100,000.This significant offer of support has come at an opportune time and has allowed WRAD to continue offering a broad range of services to help people with drug and alcohol issues. WRAD has previously recognised the contribution of Geoff Handbury by naming its boardroom in his honour.
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KATY RETURNS HOME TO WRAD (new May 21) |
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Katy Hill is feeling right at home in the WRAD office.Although she has been away for some years, Warrnambool is home to Katy and she is enjoying the return and her work with WRAD.Katy was born and educated here, including her secondary years at Warrnambool High School (now Warrnambool College) where her mother Elaine was a long-serving teacher.
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DUAL DIAGNOSIS ASSISTANCE (new May 21 |
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WRAD staff are being better prepared to help clients with their physical and mental health issues.Staff have received further training as part of a co-morbidity/dual diagnosis project led by Carmel Brady.Staff can now offer comprehensive mental health screening, assessment, referral and treatment, and liaise closely with other specialists to ensure people coming to WRAD receive the best physical and mental health care available.
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SURVEY MEASURES QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG USERS (new May 12) |
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The quality of life of alcohol and drug users is being measured in a study undertaken in Warrnambool.Deakin University researchers Dr Peter Miller and Mr Nic Droste have interviewed 25 clients from WRAD as part of the study which aims to fill a gap in measuring treatment effectiveness for alcohol and other drug users. “This is important in understanding how people change during treatment,” Geelong-based Dr Miller said.
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DATABASE HELPS UNDERSTANDING (new, May 12) |
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A new database service developed at WRAD is helping clients and clinicians better understand their needs. The program has been developed to support and improve on the Department of Human Services’ ADIS database. The WRAD Clinical Database has been expanded to include additional screening and assessment tools which provide individual case studies, reminders and recorded data that can be used by clinical staff.
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ALCOPOP TAX A `SIDESHOW' (new, May 8) |
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It takes more than one measure to change established behaviour.I HATE to spoil the fun, but do you mind if I introduce a note of rationality into the hysteria surrounding the alcopops tax? Would it be naive to mention that there's a vast body of evidence about how people's behaviour can be modified? If we're serious about discouraging binge drinking, we know roughly what to do.
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