By Luke Voogt
Geelong drug and alcohol addicts are struggling to get the help they need with waiting lists for local rehab centres stretching out to six months.
About 100 people were on Foundation 61’s waiting list, said the centre’s Cameron Sawyer.
“I’ve had so many people call whose close family members need help, and then you have to say to them you’ve got to wait three to sixth months.”
Mr Sawyer said the problem was nationwide, with rehab clinics in Melbourne reporting average waiting times of three months or not taking clients at all.
Foundation 61’s 26-week rehabilitation program requires clients to detox first.
Mr Sawyer warned that it could be extremely dangerous for addicts to detox themselves.
But those applying to detox in the Salvation Army’s withdrawal program faced a four to five week wait, according to the Salvos’ Neil Loxston.
Different time periods for different stages of program and fewer beds in the final stage created a bottle neck for clients progressing through it, he said.
“We often get people who are very motivated but there are not enough beds, which increases their risk of relapsing.”
But Mr Loxston said the State Government was providing extra funding for rehabilitation beds across the state.
He said the Department of Health and Human Services was planning a rehab facility in the Geelong region.
“They are at that this moment investigating what piece of land they can purchase to site one.”
Recently City Hall rejected a proposed rehab facility in Highton, due to a community campaign.
