DRUG ALCOHOL PROGRAMS WORK: PROFESSOR

LONG-TERM treatment of people with alcohol and drug problems still has to
battle the "quick-fix" mentality of many doctors, according to Alcohol
Education and Rehabilitation Foundation Ian Webster.

But attitudes were changing as doctors realised there was help available.

Traditionally there had been enormous cynicism, particularly from doctors,
about the effectiveness of treatment programs. Some believed they were
next to useless.

But figures showed long-term programs to treat addictions to all types of
substances had a success rate of about 60 per cent.

"The key thing about it is it takes time," Professor Webster said. "This is
not something you can fix with a naltrexone implant."

Professor Webster announced more than $2 million funding for residential
alcohol and drug treatment services in WA.

The foundation has provided $1.5 million, Lotterywest $729,000 and the
State Government's Drug and Alcohol Office $200,000.

It is the first time the WA Government and the foundation have jointly
funded treatment programs in WA. The number of beds in the major
residential treatment centres in Perth will rise from 70 to 110.

Health Minister Bob Kucera said the cost of alcohol addiction to the
community was enormous. About three out of five people who used hospital
emergency departments did so because of some link with alcohol.

He said the three programs funded had stood out over the past 20 or 30 years.

The foundation is an independent body set up by the Federal Government in 2001.