Calls for government spending on drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities and programs have been growing louder, but behind the hubbub two experienced organisations have been quietly working towards establishing a women's facility in western NSW. 

Now, it is time for local community members to have their say on what such a facility should look like. 

Orana Haven are currently building a business case for a women-specific drug & alcohol rehabilitation centre using facilities that were previously part of the Yetta Dhinnakkal Correctional Centre at Gongolgon - between Nyngan and Brewarrina - that has recently been transferred to Brewarrina Shire Council for the purpose. 

They are being assisted by The Glen, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre that has been operating on the Central Coast for 28 years and assists between 100 and 150 Indigenous men each year.

Many of our region's men have benefited from the rehabilitation services of The Glen and, just recently, The Glen for Women opened its doors - but the staff and board members knew it was a drop in the bucket compared to the tidal wave of need that exists around the state. 

"When we did the feasibility for the Glen for Women, it was clear it was just a start," said The Glen Executive Director Joe Coyte. 

"We made the argument that there is a need for at least five services to be spread throughout NSW." 

"We started taking applications in April and have been getting just under 100 every week but only five to ten percent of those people can get a spot," he said. 

Mary Gordon (second from right) with Brewarrina Mayor Vivian Slack-Smith, Brewarrina LALC Chairman David Kirby (far right) and a representative from Properties NSW at the official handover of the Gongolgon site last month. PHOTO SUPPLIED.

Mr Coyte says that the purpose of The Glen is to help Indigenous people with drug and alcohol addiction, and they have built a track record of success however their services are constantly at capacity. 

"We're not keen to go any bigger and risk going off course," Mr Coyte said. "We can still achieve our purpose by helping others get their skills and facilities together." 

"Now we can see an opportunity and we know Orana Haven and have worked with them, we know them, so we're supporting them to keep building their business case to get the women's service functioning." 

Starting tomorrow (Monday 11 July) Mr Coyte will be joining Orana Haven CEO Tracy Gordon on a series of visits to four local communities to hear from local residents about their hopes for a women's rehab facility. 

"The best way to get a service functioning is to get a community behind it – and the best way to do that is to listen to what people want," said Mr Coyte. 

A portion of the currently unoccupied facility at the Yetta Dhinnakkal site. PHOTO SUPPLIED.

Mr Coyte and Ms Gordon will visit Coonamble and Walgett on Monday and Brewarrina and Bourke on Tuesday to meet with "anyone who has an interest" in getting the facility established and operating in the region. 

This includes views on whether the new facility should be set up to accommodate women with children; whether detox facilities need to be included and other considerations that will ensure the proposal is built from the ground up based on people's experiences and local knowledge. 

"It's not about having a rehab, it's about having a good rehab," Mr Coyte said. "And one of the critical elements is community support." 

“In my over 20 years’ experience in this sector, the success or failure of a project like this is heavily linked to the way the initial community consultation is done," he said. 

"The consultation needs to be genuine to engage the whole of community views."

"Sadly, I have seen that it is possible to have a much-needed service built and remain empty if you don’t bring the community along for the ride with genuine engagement. This cannot happen here, it’s too important a project.” 

See the schedule below for where you can attend the consultations on the proposed women's drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre.