❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks information about the funding, staffing, rehabilitation efforts, and operational policies of Sobering Up Centres in the state. The answer clarifies the centres' purpose, funding, staffing qualifications, and admission criteria, highlighting their role as an alternative to police custody and their collaboration with other services for treatment referrals.
AnsweredQoN 972Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
According to a newspaper article in
The West Australian
, Wednesday, June 18 2003, there are 13 Sobering Up Centres being run in this State -
(1) Does the State Government fund these Sobering Up Centres?
(2) If so, at what cost?
(3) Is there a professional counsellor employed full-time at each of these Centres to help rehabilitate those people frequently attending these Centres?
(4) If not, what qualifications are required for people who actually work in these Centres?
(5) If there is no professional counsellor employed then is there any attempts at rehabilitating regular users of these Centres?
(6) Are these Centres open to all age groups?
(7) Are there any restrictions set in place to refuse entry to any of these Centres?
The West Australian
, Wednesday, June 18 2003, there are 13 Sobering Up Centres being run in this State -
(1) Does the State Government fund these Sobering Up Centres?
(2) If so, at what cost?
(3) Is there a professional counsellor employed full-time at each of these Centres to help rehabilitate those people frequently attending these Centres?
(4) If not, what qualifications are required for people who actually work in these Centres?
(5) If there is no professional counsellor employed then is there any attempts at rehabilitating regular users of these Centres?
(6) Are these Centres open to all age groups?
(7) Are there any restrictions set in place to refuse entry to any of these Centres?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 August 2003
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
42 days
2) In 2002/2003 the State Government spent a total of $3,248,145 in funding the operation of Sobering-up Centres. 3) No. Sobering-up Centres are designed to provide basic care including a shower, laundering of clothes, a light meal, and regular half hourly observations to check on physical well-being. They provide a secure, caring and culturally appropriate alternative to police custody. Sobering-up Centres were originally established following the 1990 decriminalisation of public drunkenness and were given further impetus by recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Sobering-up Centres work in close co-operation with other service providers to engage people into treatment services. 4) Each carer must have a First-Aid Certificate and training to recognise medical conditions and/or injuries requiring hospital referral, the management of disruptive incidents, and to manage the sensitive cultural issues pertaining to their particular client population. Training is provided by St John Ambulance, the Drug and Alcohol Office and Community Drug Service Teams. 5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
3) No. Sobering-up Centres are designed to provide basic care including a shower, laundering of clothes, a light meal, and regular half hourly observations to check on physical well-being. They provide a secure, caring and culturally appropriate alternative to police custody. Sobering-up Centres were originally established following the 1990 decriminalisation of public drunkenness and were given further impetus by recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Sobering-up Centres work in close co-operation with other service providers to engage people into treatment services. 4) Each carer must have a First-Aid Certificate and training to recognise medical conditions and/or injuries requiring hospital referral, the management of disruptive incidents, and to manage the sensitive cultural issues pertaining to their particular client population. Training is provided by St John Ambulance, the Drug and Alcohol Office and Community Drug Service Teams. 5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
4) Each carer must have a First-Aid Certificate and training to recognise medical conditions and/or injuries requiring hospital referral, the management of disruptive incidents, and to manage the sensitive cultural issues pertaining to their particular client population. Training is provided by St John Ambulance, the Drug and Alcohol Office and Community Drug Service Teams. 5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
· the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
3) No. Sobering-up Centres are designed to provide basic care including a shower, laundering of clothes, a light meal, and regular half hourly observations to check on physical well-being. They provide a secure, caring and culturally appropriate alternative to police custody. Sobering-up Centres were originally established following the 1990 decriminalisation of public drunkenness and were given further impetus by recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Sobering-up Centres work in close co-operation with other service providers to engage people into treatment services. 4) Each carer must have a First-Aid Certificate and training to recognise medical conditions and/or injuries requiring hospital referral, the management of disruptive incidents, and to manage the sensitive cultural issues pertaining to their particular client population. Training is provided by St John Ambulance, the Drug and Alcohol Office and Community Drug Service Teams. 5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
4) Each carer must have a First-Aid Certificate and training to recognise medical conditions and/or injuries requiring hospital referral, the management of disruptive incidents, and to manage the sensitive cultural issues pertaining to their particular client population. Training is provided by St John Ambulance, the Drug and Alcohol Office and Community Drug Service Teams. 5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
5) People do not benefit from counselling while intoxicated. Clients of Sobering-up Centres with a chronic problem are supported to engage them and family members into treatment. 6) Sobering-up Centres are primarily designed to accommodate adult clients. However, juveniles are permitted to the centre if staffing and accommodation permits the necessary extra care and supervision. Each Centre has developed local arrangements for the placement of intoxicated juveniles in consultation with other relevant agencies including, the Police service, Department of Justice, the Department of Community Development and local health services. 7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
7) Sobering-up Centres must accept all referrals of intoxicated persons from appropriate sources except in the following circumstances: · the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
· the referred person has a medical condition that requires hospitalisation; · all centre beds are occupied; · the referred person is considered too violent or disruptive to be held in the centre; and · the referred person does not wish to be admitted.
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