Patients from Albury and Southern NSW will be accepted at a new residential rehabilitation facility for drug addiction in Wangaratta, the Victorian government has confirmed.
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It comes as tenders closed on Thursday for the provision of services at the 30-bed facility, which will be built on Greta Road and start seeing patients in 2021.
It will be the closest service of its kind for people on the Border, and first state Government-funded residential rehabilitation services in North East Victoria.
What exactly that facility will look like and the range of services on offer will become clearer within the next year, with information sessions to be held for the community.
There will also be opportunities for Wangaratta residents to provide input through the planning process led by local government, Victorian Mental Health Minister Martin Foley’s office confirmed.
“Wangaratta is the best location for the facility – based on community demand and proximity to other health and support services, so we can get people in the North East the best possible healthcare and support, as soon as they need it,” Mr Foley said.
“We know the damage alcohol and drug issues cause to families and communities in regional Victoria – that’s why we’re building a new residential rehabilitation facility in the North East, as well as more than doubling our rehabilitation beds across the state.”
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Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy told The Border Mail on Thursday priority should be given to North East patients.
“If it’s then not being filled, open it up to other people,” he said.
“There is huge demand for this facility, and not just in Wangaratta – people are having to travel to Melbourne, and Molyullah (where the next closest facility is near Benalla) is taking people from all over the place.
“If you’re doing rehabilitation while living in your community, that’s got to be a win-win.”
June’s announcement that the facility would be built on the former site of Ovens College prompted concern from residents in the area, who wanted the decision reviewed.
A petition being run by Mr McCurdy closed yesterday with about 60 signatures.
“It’s about what I expected to be honest – it’s one of those issues where everyone wants the rehab centre, and it’s only the location people are in dispute about,” he said.
“About half (of the people who signed) would be living in the area around the site.”
Mr McCurdy conceded the petition, which he will table in parliament next week, was unlikely to sway the government.
“It’s not as though we’ve had hundreds or thousands converge on us to sign the petition,” he said.
“Unless they had overwhelming support, I would think it’s going to stay there.
“If we (the Nationals) are elected in November, we’ll be moving forward with the facility.
“The last thing we’d be doing is putting anything in the way of that facility, it’s a great thing.”
Wangaratta was confirmed as the location of a 30-bed residential rehabilitation facility for the Hume region in the May state budget, the project one of three new facilities sharing in $47.3 million.
The successful service provider for the Wangaratta facility will be announced later this year.
Building on cross-border arrangements already in place to facilitate treatment access, referrals from interstate will be considered.
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