Member for Mayo welcomes $20 million in rehab funding for SA

Posted November 23, 2018

The Minister for Health confirmed that regional South Australia would receive $20 million in funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation services with the announcement of the opening of the grant applications.

Up to $2.5 million in Government funding is available for the Fleurieu region and will provide a much needed boost to rehabilitation services for regional communities across South Australia.

The services are part of a $40 million package negotiated by Rebekha on behalf of Centre Alliance as part of the Government’s welfare reforms and announced in the 2018/2019 Federal Budget. In addition to the $20 million in rehabilitation services for South Australia, the package includes $20 million to support GPs and other allied health professionals in regional and remote Australia to access professional development and specialist skills in addiction medicine.

The Government has already announced the first tranche of training funding for GPs.

Rebekha welcomed the Minister’s announcement this morning saying “We need to stop the cycle of addiction but we can’t do that without providing easy access to high quality rehabilitation services which can often be a challenge outside of metropolitan Adelaide”

“We know that drug and alcohol abuse is a real problem in rural and regional South Australia and these grants will mean that our communities will have the tools they so desperately need to combat the devastating consequences of drug and alcohol abuse”.

Rebekha said “This money will make a real difference to those families and communities who are grappling with addiction and I strongly encourage local drug and alcohol service providers to apply for the grants”.

Applications for the grant will close on 20 December 2018.

Further information on the eligibility criteria can be found here: https://www.grants.gov.au/?event=public.GO.show&GOUUID=F772A3E3-C5C6-235B-924CF5CD99190E06