News

Over the course of two weeks, NDRI researchers recently delivered the Drugs, Policy and Public Health professional development program for Drug & Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA).

DASSA approached the Institute to provide the program after several of the Services’ staff attended a similar participatory and interactive course aimed at providing the requisite background knowledge for alcohol and other drug (AOD) workers to effectively respond to practice and policy development needs.

“NDRI developed the 2022 program tailored to DASSA’s needs to facilitate improved understanding of the evidence underpinning public health and policy responses in the AOD field to enable informed development, implementation and evaluation of effective public health and policy responses to AOD issues,” NDRI Director Simon Lenton said.

“Our researcher leaders and external experts delivered a comprehensive 5-day program that covered topics including policy change, social determinants of health, alcohol harm use and policy, AOD issues for Aboriginal Australians, methamphetamine, consumer perspectives and harm reduction.

“It was extremely well received, with feedback showing 100 per cent of the 80 participants rated the course as worthwhile and that 95 per cent would recommend the program.”