History of Consumer Participation in the Victorian AOD Sector Presenters: Regina Brindle (Consumer Participation Facilitator at UnitingCare ReGen) and Odyssey House Edita Kennedy (Project Worker at The Association of Participating Service Users)
Association of Participating Service Users Service of Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) Established in late 2000 APSU has 600 members: service users, family members, service providers and others APSU believes that people who use alcohol and other drug treatment services are the reason the system exists; their needs, strengths and expertise should drive the system.
UnitingCare ReGen Unitingcare ReGen is the leading alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and education agency of UnitingCare Victoria and Tasmania. ReGen is a not for-profit agency, which has over 40 years experience delivering a comprehensive range of AOD Services to the community.
Relationship between APSU and UnitingCare ReGen (formerly Moreland Hall) From Flipside n. 1, May 2001
We will identify the challenges for the practice of consumer participation in the Victorian AOD sector and the effective responses to these challenges.
Challenge: Lack of policy to guide and inform practice
Policy to guide and inform practice Shaping the Future - The Victorian Alcohol and Other Drug Quality Framework - April 2008 Standard 1: Consumer Focus Consumer participation refers to a range of practices and processes that actively enhance inclusion of consumers in decisions about their own health care, service planning, program development and the addressing of quality issues.
Policy to guide and inform practice Dual Diagnosis Key Directions and Priorities for Service Development 2007 Service Development Number 5: Consumers and carers are involved in the planning and evaluation of service responses.
Policy to guide and inform practice A new blueprint for alcohol and other drug treatment services 2009-2013 Client-centred, service-focused Client Centred Principle No 1. A client-centred system is one that acknowledges clients and their family, social and cultural connections. Effective treatment recognises the things that are important to clients and utilises their family and cultural connections to suppor them in achieving lasting behaviour change and linking them with the other services and support they require.
Challenge: Lack of money
Money APSU: core funding (State Government) project funding (State Government) Philanthropies Federal Government s Improved Services Initiative ReGen Financial processes: Consumer participation included as a budget line in funding submissions.
Challenge: Lack of consumer participation in systemic and organisational processes
Processes QICSA: The standard for consumer participation APSU s KPIs: regional meetings, presentations at service providers conference, quarterly reporting to the Government ReGen: organisational audit of consumer participation practices
Challenge: Lack of knowledge
APSU: Knowledge / education Peer Helper Training Consumer participation training for consumers Straight from the Source manual Consumer participation training for service providers.
Knowledge / education ReGen: Consumer participation training for consumers Consumer participation included in orientation training for staff.
Challenge: Tokenism
Addressing tokenism UnitingCare ReGen Client Chart of Rights and Responsibilities (based on the Victorian Charter of Rights and Responsibilities 2006) Client Complaints System Client Feedback System
Challenge: Power imbalance
Addressing power imbalance ReGen : Systems set up for people who use services to participate in governance and contribute to key policy documents.
Challenge: Lack of human rights focus in AOD sector
Human Rights Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities 2006 Victorian AOD Client Charter 2011 UnitingCare Regen Client Charter
Challenge: Absence of consumer participation in funding and service agreements.
Consumer participation practice in funding and service agreements Newly Reformed Victorian Alcohol and other Drug Services, Service specification calls for consumer participation as part of service delivery in the catchments.
ReGen and Odyssey Catchments x 4 Consumer and Family Participation in accordance to Criterion 4. Consumer Participation model includes the work of a consumer participation team and systems to enable the practice across the catchments.
15 years later We now have policies, processes, practices, knowledge, consumer councils, advisory groups Cultural change remains the main ongoing process necessary for effective consumer participation practice.
References Brindle, R. and Clarke, M. (2011,)Straight from the Source: A Practical Guide for Consumer Participation in the Victorian Alcohol and other Drug Sector, Melbourne, Victorian Department of Human Services (2008) A new blueprint for alcohol and other drug treatment services 2009-2013: Client-centred, service-focused, Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victorian Department of Human Services (2007) Dual diagnosis: Key directions and priorities for service development, Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victorian Department of Human Services (2008) Shaping the future: The Victorian AOD quality framework, Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne.