Promoting recovery and reducing harm through NSW Drug Summit

The first Drug Summit held in NSW for a quarter of a century brought together a range of perspectives, including the St Vincent de Paul Society, to work towards addressing how the state responds to drug use. 

The NSW Government delivered on its 2023 election pledge to hold a drug summit with Sydney hosting a two-day forum in December preceded by regional events in Griffith and Lismore during November. 

Funding was also provided to a range of organisations to launch and expand alcohol and other drugs services; the Society was one of the recipients to establish a regional AOD hub in Armidale. 

In the lead up to the Drug Summit, ABC 7.30 was granted access to Freeman House, a residential rehabilitation and detoxification service in Armidale, to highlight the need for services and to hear first-hand from people accessing support. 

ABC 7.30 spoke with Sharmain, one of the people supported through Freeman House, who shared her experience of accessing support and motivation to be reunited with her young son. 

“I know this now because the rehab has made it clear that I do need to do this for me. If I have my son back, my independence, I will look back on these days and it was all worth it.” 

People undergoing treatment at Freeman House stay for between three and 12 months with day and outreach programs also running to support people at various phases in their rehabilitation journey. 

Participants starting out undertake group sessions and individual counselling. As they progress over time, greater emphasis is placed on engaging with the community with training provided for job qualifications and help to access housing. 

A new addition to the service has been peer support workers – people with lived experience of addiction who can draw on their lived experience to help others navigating similar journeys. 

The demand to access support from Freeman House is high with 180 people on a growing waitlist. Compounding matters is a lack of funding which means beds in the residential rehabilitation unit remain empty despite the need. 

"I try and remind people that everybody on our wait list is someone's daughter, someone's son, someone's mother, someone's father, there's someone there that cares about that person and wants that person to get better," Jessica Toole, Health Services Regional Manager, told ABC 7.30. 

The Society operates a range of services addressing alcohol and other drugs. The Continuing Coordinated Care Program (CCCP) is delivered across the state, offering outreach support to people wanting to address their substance usage. 

The Society’s latest Social Justice Statement on alcohol and other drugs calls for increased funding for treatment and post-treatment services, investment in harm reduction initiatives, and a new holistic NSW Drug and Alcohol Strategy.  

This story is featured in the latest edition of Vision - a publication produced by St Vincent de Paul Society NSW twice a year for members and volunteers. See the latest edition - Vision (Summer 2025).