Best Practice Models of Change in Community Based Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies

• NCJ Number: 171415
• Author(s): D Crosbie
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: DCC

Annotation

This project was conducted to give nine community-based alcohol and other drug agencies in Australia an opportunity to examine their practices and develop specific strategies to improve alcohol and other drug programs and services.

Abstract

The project was conducted over a 12-month period from March 1995 to March 1996. Nine community-based alcohol and other drug agencies participated, and a comprehensive report was prepared on each agency. The nine agencies included two nongovernment agencies providing long-term residential treatment, a church community center, a rural agency providing a broad range services to aboriginal clients, two government regional alcohol and other drug service providers, and three nongovernment agencies providing a broad range of prevention and treatment services. Most agencies provided clinical or treatment services ranging from assessment and counseling to long-term residential treatment, and most were actively involved in community education and prevention activities. A 2-day workshop was arranged for each agency in which participants developed performance indicators and goals. In addition, each agency developed individual strategies to overcome what they perceived to be major barriers to effective service delivery. Common themes of the nine agencies formed the basis of the following recommendations: (1) fund community-based alcohol and other drug agencies for a period of at least 3 years; (2) ensure involvement of agencies in government decisionmaking; (3) identify needs analysis, data collection, and program evaluation as core agency functions requiring staff time and resources; (4) develop guidelines for measuring client outcomes; (5) increase staff training and professional development opportunities; (6) establish a national staff exchange program to allow agency staff to experience other agencies and working environments; (7) establish a national register of agencies interested in research; (8) give agencies an opportunity to participate in forward planning and review workshops; (9) create national awards to acknowledge agency personnel; and (10) evaluate how agencies continue to respond to changes in the alcohol and other drug field.