The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) will continue to raise the need for a residential rehabilitation facility in south-west Victoria.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
VAADA chief executive officer Chris Christoforou said funding for The Lookout was a priority.
"VAADA has long supported and regularly advocated for additional residential rehabilitation capacity, particularly in rural and regional areas, including in Warrnambool," Mr Christoforou said.
He said VAADA's position aligned with Infrastructure Victoria's 30-year plan about there needing to be equity of access to all treatment types, removing discrimination based on postcode.
"The efforts of WRAD in building the case and generating community support for the Lookout Residential Rehab Centre is impressive and we commend it," Mr Christoforou said.
"Funding The Lookout is a priority and we will continue to raise the need for it with the Victorian government."
Mr Christoforou's comments come after the release of VAADA's 2024 budget submission, which did not specifically mention The Lookout.
"Our 2024 budget submission takes a whole of systems approach to alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and harm reduction in Victoria, highlighting the need for strategic planning to improve the design, integration and responsiveness of our health system to AOD issues," he said.
"With this in mind, we have noted the challenges in workforce recruitment and retention in regional Victoria and are call for a 20 per cent loading to be applied to all funded AOD services in the regions."
WRAD Health chief executive officer Mark Powell told The Standard earlier this month he was surprised the state government hadn't flagged plans to fund The Lookout.
He said more than 800 people sought treatment for substance issues at Warrnambool's WRAD Health in the past calendar year and less than five per cent of clients who needed residential care for substance abuse were willing to access it outside the south-west.
The Standard asked Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas whether the state government would provide funding for The Lookout - a facility WRAD Health and the community has been lobbying for.
The response from the state government was that it was "dedicated to improving the outcomes for people with alcohol and other drug issues - doubling our investment since coming into government in 2014, with $372 million invested into our alcohol and other drug services in the most recent budget alone".
"We're working to provide the Warrnambool community and people across the region with the services they need, including access to specialist alcohol and drug services through local intake services - people living in the south-west region of Victoria can access treatment through their local intake provider, the Australian Community Support Organisation," a state government spokesman said.
Mr Powell said he was disappointed because he believed there had been steps forward in accessing funding for The Lookout.
He said he had been advised by the state government a proposal document was being drafted for the treasury department.