Mt Isa rehab service on road to recovery
The new Mt Isa Recovery Services Centre. (Photos supplied by The Salvation Army Recovery Services)
The Salvation Army’s Recovery Services has taken over the operation of an Indigenous rehabilitation centre at Mount Isa.
The Kalkadoon Alcohol Sobriety House, known locally as KASH, was closed in April. It had been managed for many years by the Kalkadoon people.
In June, The Salvation Army’s Major David Pullen, Gerard Byrne and Captain Vannessa Garven, together with Bob O’Heir from Canberra Recovery Services Centre and Vincent Byrne, a former long-term employee of the Army with wide experience in dealing with Indigenous people, travelled to Mount Isa to begin the task of reopening the centre
Shirli Congoo, a Salvation Army Indigenous Liaison Officer based in Townsville, joined the delegation and proved to be a great asset in helping establish links with the local Indigenous population. She was joined by a team from Townsville Recovery Services which worked tirelessly for a week, cleaning and preparing the accommodation.
Bob and Vincent subsequently remained in Mt Isa to establish the Bridge Program. In just over a week, they recruited the staff required to operate the centre including case workers, support workers, an accounts officer and overnight staff. All were all on deck when the first participants of the new Recovery Services program arrived on 4 July.
“It was a rapid task and one which was completed successfully,” says Mr O’Heir.
“Ronnie Nemo, a Kalkadoon Elder, welcomed us to the country at a centre lunch during NAIDOC week and ‘smoked’ the centre in accordance with Aboriginal spirituality.
“We are using a modified program to meet the specific needs of our Aboriginal population and we are all engaged in a steep learning curve. Our participant body is keen to support us and have voted the place,‘OK!’”
The program caters for men and women, including couples, and there are plans to expand the service to allow for children.
“This is an exciting venture and one that The Salvation Army can feel especially honoured to be invited to participate in,” says Bob.
“We have exceeded expectation with occupancy, with the centre continuing to grow in numbers daily.”
Edited extract re-printed from the Recovery Services Newsletter, July 2012.
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