NCETA Makes a Major Contribution to the Success of the 34th APSAD Conference
February 2015
NCETA made major contributions to the successful 34th APSAD Conference held in Adelaide from 10-12 November 2014. More than 400 delegates attended the conference and they saw the release of NCETA's three new workforce development resources designed to enhance the capacity of the AOD sector to more effectively respond to AOD issues:
- FundAssist: an online toolkit to help non-government AOD organisations to prepare, plan and write funding applications.
- Grey Matters: a series of information sheets designed to raise awareness about AOD use in older people.
- Alcohol education: What really works in schools? An information booklet to help schools choose an effective alcohol education program.
During the Conference, Associate Professor Nicole Lee and Dr Ken Pidd were both actively sought out by the media to provide comment and advice on a range of topics. Associate Professor Lee appeared on Channel Nine's Mornings program to discuss parents talking to their children about drugs and in particular, Ecstasy. See the interview here. Dr Pidd was interviewed about the effects of AOD use on workplace absenteeism.
Mr Michael White (ex-NCETA staff member) and Dr Pidd were members of the scientific program committee which ensured that the Conference program covered a diverse and interesting range of issues such as medication diversion, prescribed opioid use, workplace AOD issues, young people and alcohol use and progress on Indigenous-specific AOD interventions. Mr White was also one of the Conference co-convenors and he was responsible for having one of the world pioneers in the AOD field, Dr Loretta Finnegan present on the Neonatal Opioid Abstinence Syndrome. He was also involved in organising the Governor of South Australia, His Excellency Hiew Van Le and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier Leesa Vlahos to both open the Conference.
