The Morrison Government is launching a new information portal, which will provide vital information and support for Australians seeking help for family members and friends with alcohol and drug related issues.
Developed by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), Path2Help is a new information and support pathways directory that contains more than 7,000 services nationwide for Australians who may need information for themselves or their loved one about alcohol and other drug use.
Funded as part of the 2019-20 Budget, the Morrison Government provided the ADF with a $3.9 million grant to implement a number of activities, including the development of the Path2Help portal.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Path2Help would help guide a person to the most appropriate services and information to meets their needs wherever they are.
“Many Australians don’t know where to turn for help or what questions to ask when they or a loved one have substance abuse, misuse or addiction problems,” Minister Hunt said.
“Path2Help will make navigating the system easier and will provide Australians with information and resources to help understand alcohol and other drug use, learn how to start difficult conversations with their loved ones and links to facts about drug use.”
Alcohol and drug use can affect all Australians. This can include illness and injury, mental health and trauma, as well as health care and other financial costs.
Alcohol is one of Australia’s leading causes of drug-related death and in 2018, alcohol use contributed to 4.5 per cent of the total burden of disease in Australia. In 2019, around 33 per cent of adults consumed alcohol at levels that put them at risk of alcohol-related death, disease or injury according to the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol.
In the same year, around nine million Australians aged 14 and over had reported taking an illicit substance at some point in their lifetime, while 3.4 million Australians had indicated they had in the last 12 months.
The Path2Help directory is Australia’s first online help seeker tool to provide tailored recommendations of the right support services and information based on your needs and circumstances.
The ADF is also using the grant to build the capacity and expertise of services available to the friends and families of people who use drugs and alcohol, and support research in this important area.
Path2Help can be found at adf.org.au/path2help