Funding the fight for addiction recovery

THE Buttery is appealing to the state government to increase funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs in the wake of the recent NSW Drug Summit.

The Binna Burra-based organisation’s CEO Leone Crayden said the programs the government established after the last NSW Drug Summit in 1999 are not in good shape and in need of more funding.

“We have not had an increase since that time,” she said. “We still deliver these sought-after services, but we currently have a waitlist of between 12 to 26 weeks. Without further funding, we cannot provide the staffing with the expertise we need to treat an ever-complex population of clients.”

The not-for-profit organisation was founded in 1973 by John McKnight, a Church Army Officer at Bangalow All Souls Anglican Church, after the Aquarius Festival in Nimbin attracted many young people to the region.

In 1976 it shifted its focus to treating drug and alcohol disorders and became a residential therapeutic community facility. It expanded in 1999 to provide more community outreach programs.

It now offers a variety of programs to support people living with alcohol and substance misuse and mental health conditions, including day rehabilitation, face-to-face counselling and family support and group therapy.

Once a month on a Sunday, residents offer a car wash service to raise money for group activities.

“We’ve found that fundraising activities that involve our participants have a positive impact on their mental health, and help them maintain a sense of independence and responsibility,” Crayden said.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023, The Buttery introduced a podcast series called To Her Door, after the Paul Kelly song in which it features.

Acclaimed pianist David Helfgott has also been a regular visitor over the years, often playing impromptu concerts for residents.

“David has a unique way of really seeing individuals and encouraging them to persist with their recovery journeys and life goals,” Crayden said. “He has had many struggles in his own life and his perceptive responses to people at the facility were amazing and inspiring to watch.”

The Buttery has also introduced a Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG), comprised of people with experience with alcohol and other drugs, and mental health service experiences and expertise, to offer advice to the CEO and board of directors.

For more information on LEAG to apply to be a member, visit buttery.org.au/leag