Presentation by: Alison Penfold, Terry Huriwai and Pam Armstrong
Conference: International Conference on Gambling
Date: September 2006
Title: An Early and Brief Intervention Travelling Road Show
Abstract:
In 2004, the Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton obtained funding to develop a resource for use in secondary prevention, which is prevention of problematic addiction-related behaviours and subsequent increased harm. This resource is a package which includes educational material, case studies, information on early identification and brief intervention, screening instruments, and national referral resources for alcohol and other drug use and gambling behaviour. The purpose in providing this programme is to address alcohol, drug and/or gambling issues that may be a barrier to clients benefiting from social services, and to increase the capacity of services to more fully assist their clients to achieve the best outcomes.

The package was piloted in six sites to test its applicability to different types of services, and to evaluate and incorporate feedback. The material has now been printed off in hard copy as well as reproduced on disc, and placed in a self-contained portable pack, in order to provide trainers with all the materials needed to deliver the programme to social services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

The two-day “Train the Trainer” programme was the next phase to familiarise potential trainers with the material, and provide opportunities to develop their skills in educating others. These training sessions have taken place in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in June and July 2006, and each workshop participant is now expected to take the programme out to other groups of social service workers, to pass on the resources for brief intervention with alcohol and other drugs and problem gambling.