Forum: Drugs and alcohol effects
A TEAM of mental health and substance abuse experts is coming together this week to help the community discuss the growing impact on regional towns and rural areas of the spreading methamphetamine or ice epidemic.
The panel includes:
- Dr Craig Sadler is an addiction medicine staff specialist at the Calvary Mater Hospital at Newcastle and a director withdrawal services for Hunter and New England Local Health District.
- Sid Barone has been the Riverina Regional Alcohol and Other Drugs Program co-ordinator at Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service for seven years.
- David Moles is a drug and alcohol specialist worker in Parkes and has a Bachelor Social Science in psychology.
- Michelle Warn, who has been in the field for 20 years, is the program manager at the Murdi Paaki Drug and Alcohol Network and Lyndon Community Outreach, working in the region of Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Bourke, Walgett, Menindee, Coonamble, Coomealla, Brewarrina and Cobar.
The Friday Forum will help people learn coping mechanisms for dealing with drugs and alcohol abuse, and ways to reach out for help.
It is a joint initiative of The Land and the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program.
