Whole of Strategy Evaluation of the pss final report

69.1Scope of the PSS

70Substances

The current formal scope of the PSS is on petrol sniffing. Many stakeholders raised the issue of broadening this scope to include all volatiles.

The primary reason for this view is that it is well recognised that people in remote Indigenous communities who sniff are most likely to be poly-drug users who will use a range of products, depending largely on what is available. When petrol was widely available it was the most commonly sniffed volatile. Supply reduction means that for many regions it is no longer available, and consequently other substances such as aerosols, glue and paint are sniffed. The people engaging in the sniffing are the same – just the substance varies. With this in mind it makes sense for the PSS to apply to all volatiles that these people might sniff.

Another argument for broadening the PSS is that any response to control VSU (other than supply reduction) will be very similar regardless of the particular volatile being used. Strengthening communities, engaging youth or expanding treatment all address the common causes and results of VSU, not just petrol sniffing. More pragmatically, given the episodic and variable nature of petrol sniffing, focusing just on one substance would be inefficient and difficult to maintain.

Reflecting this, an evaluation of the CAPSSU recommended in 2009 that it address other volatiles, and this was supported by the Australian Government. Recognition of the need to address other volatiles includes DoHA’s funding the development of Consensus-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Volatile Substance Use in Australia. These address petrol sniffing in the wider context of volatile substance use. In addition, the various working groups set up by RCs have all been or become volatile substance working groups, rather than petrol sniffing groups.

Notwithstanding this action, the formal scope of the PSS has remained purely on petrol, and is as a result out-of-step with both the range of activities and community expectations.

During the case study fieldwork it was also apparent that VSU was not, and should not be addressed in isolation from other drug use, especially cannabis. A number of stakeholders referred to the large scale and impact of cannabis use, and that an approach was needed that took a holistic approach to youth and drug use. Reflecting this, the East Kimberley PSS group recently re-named itself to be a ‘Youth at Risk’ coordination group.

71Youth services

The other issue regarding the scope of the PSS is its position as a de facto provider of youth services to remote Indigenous communities. This role is not ideal, as it is too broad for the PSS. A discussion of the creation of a Remote Indigenous Youth Strategy is included at Section 3.4.

71.1Costs and funding processes

Funding for activities is currently of three main types:

funding to producers and distributors of LAF

one-off or recurrent funding to organisations for delivery of services and projects, and

funding for supporting activities such as evaluations, data collections or communications activities.

The funding arrangements for LAF have recently been changed, and we see no need to change them further. Similarly, funding for consultancies, evaluations, or other program support activity was not examined but we are not aware of any concerns on its management.

In regard to service or project funding there are three major programs:

the FaHCSIA TFS, which delivers one-off funding

the AGD funding under the Indigenous Justice Program which has provided recurrent funds to a number of youth and diversionary activities, and

DoHA’s funding of various activities, including treatment.

Up until December 2012, there was also funding available from DEEWR (see page 50).

Current project funding arrangements between agencies are fragmented and do not result in a coordinated attack on areas with the greatest need. Individually, some lack a clear evidence base for decisions and there is not a visible connection between provision of LAF, incidence of sniffing and funding for complementary programs. These arrangements are seen to result in significant disparities. For example the 2009 review of the CAPSSU found:

The rationale for the variation and the link between community preference and the activity funded is not always evident in program documentation. The background information, the ‘story’ behind each investment is held in the corporate memory of individuals, and can to some extent be accounted for verbally. At times the driver for investment has been as simple as a short timeframe for funds to be expended, and the most evident opportunities were taken. In these circumstances, not all factors are with the Unit’s control. But it is the view of many stakeholders that with better networks, more effective communication and a clearer connection to an underlying program logic, better funding decisions could have been made. (Urbis, 2009, p. 18)

Analysis of funding data for this current evaluation shows that these disparities do not reflect relative need for services. Of the two Zones in Western Australia, one received nearly double the amount of the other, despite it having much less sniffing.

In addition to the disparities, there is a lack of flexible recurrent funding for services. Current AGD funding is locked into one particular region, and the TFS funding is only for one-off activities.

There is continual and understandable pressure for funds to be aligned with portfolio priorities –but these may not align directly with the needs of the PSS, for example the discontinuation of DEEWR Youth Connections/Reducing Substance Abuse pilot projects and AGD concerns to see clear justice outcomes from its projects. In our view these expectations risk reducing the broader benefits of youth programs.

One option would be to move AGD funding to FaHCSIA, as part of the TFS. This would give options for recurrent funding to be more flexibly allocated across regions and allow coordination of investment of long-and short-term funding.