Drug service cutbacks have a ‘devastating impact’ on young addicts, claim charities

Fight against substance abuse among the young could be turned back by 10 years if cuts continue, warn leading health groups Budget cuts to drug and alcohol services for young people are having a “devastating impact” on the fight against substance abuse, according to leading health groups and charities. Among the services being shut down or scaled back are drug education in schools, treatment for young people battling addiction, and support for professionals working in the sector. As a result, the independent drugs monitoring body DrugScope, in conjunction with several leading charities, is warning that young people with drugs and alcohol problems are finding it increasingly difficult to find help. It is the first sign that cuts are having a direct impact on front-line rehabilitation and prevention services. Young people’s treatment services have already closed in the London boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Newham and Merton, according to DrugScope. Addaction, one of the UK’s major treatment providers, has confirmed that several local authorities have imposed funding cuts on their young people’s services of up to 50%. The Lifeline Project, which provides drug and alcohol treatment for young people across England, is warning that cuts to its services will affect the numbers they can support. “The long-term social and economic costs associated with increased risks in drug taking, admissions to A&E, offending behaviour, school exclusions, sexual health, safeguarding and child protection will far outweigh the short-term benefit of cutting costs,” said Martin Moran, director of young people’s services. “The financial cuts we have experienced in some of our services will reduce the number of young people we can help in the future, and could undo the work of recent years.” In February this year, research published by the DoE concluded that drug treatment for young people is cost effective, estimating that for every £1 spent on treatment between £5 and £8 is saved by the NHS and other agencies. “We are extremely concerned at the potential long-term impact of these cuts on young people, their families and communities,” said Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope. In a survey of staff at 79 local education authorities, more than a quarter reported that there had been no specialist drug education support in their secondary schools since April. “We are probably in the worst situation for drug education for decades,” said Paul Tuohy, chief executive at drug prevention charity Mentor UK. “We won’t see the real impact for at least another 18 months, when the effect of a complete lack of infrastructure for drug education will become apparent. It could have devastating implications.” The future of the Drug Education Forum, a body of experts that has received government funding since 1995, is in jeopardy after it was revealed that the Department for Education will cease its funding from November. “This has the potential to be extremely damaging,” said co-ordinator Andrew Brown. “The cuts are affecting front-line support for drug and alcohol education. A decade of hard work by schools and communities has seen drug and alcohol use among young people fall back. We can only hope this isn’t reversed.” Drugs Drugs policy Health Cuts and closures Jamie Doward guardian.co.uk

Posted by on July 23, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.