Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2000
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 David Syme & Co Ltd
Contact:  250 Spencer Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia
Website: http://www.theage.com.au/
Author: Gabrielle Costa

AGREEMENTS KEY TO DRUG ROOMS

Controversial supervised injecting facilities will almost certainly not be
operational until next year.

The government still has to get support on its enabling legislation - which
will come up for debate in spring - then a series of individual service
agreements.

Different service agreements will have to be drawn up for every facility and
all service agreements will be subject to the scrutiny of both houses of
Parliament, including the Liberal-dominated Legislative Council.

The service agreements with facility operators will be determined
case-by-case, but will:

Define and prioritise the functions the facilities will provide.

Identify the target population of each facility's clients.

Determine opening hours.

Establish staffing models and skills requirements.

Make sure the facility is accessible to people from different cultures.

Establish methods for the control of the spread of disease within
facilities.

Set out internal operating rules and record-keeping arrangements.

Set out consultation structures with police, users, residents and local
traders.

The five municipalities named in the bill - Yarra, Melbourne, Port Phillip,
Dandenong and Maribyrnong - will be able to endorse the establishment of
more than one facility by a majority decision of the councillors.

The councils will also have ongoing dialogue and planning round-tables,
involving police, traders, residents and key stakeholders.

The entire project will be overseen by a medical supervisor.

The Statewide Framework for Service Agreements, released by Health Minister
John Thwaites yesterday, specifies how the trials will be evaluated, the way
the facilities will function and the protocols for how sites are selected.

The Health Minister will have the ultimate responsibility for site
selection, but under the bill, each facility will be well away from
residential areas, schools and pre-schools.

The bill will automatically expire at the end of two years. There is a
six-month start-up period, but the trial must end after two years from the
date the bill comes into effect.

Within the facilities, identification will be required from users if there
is any doubt about their age, and children must be referred to the Youth
Substance Abuse Service or a similar service.

All the centres must be on the building's ground floor to ensure easy access
for emergency service workers when required.
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