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Are Australian Treatment Agencies Equipped to Deal With Rising Numbers of Presentations for Cannabis Issues?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2012

Amie R. Frewen  and
Jan Copeland
Amie R. Frewen*
Affiliation:
National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia. [email protected]
Jan Copeland
Affiliation:
National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia.
*
*address for correspondence: Amie R. Frewen, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate drug and alcohol work-force issues related to the treatment of cannabis use and related problems in Australia. Method: A postal or online questionnaire of randomly selected drug and alcohol clinicians (n = 179) across Australia. Results: A total of 53 clinicians (30%) completed surveys. Results indicated that staff in metropolitan services tended to have higher qualifications than rural and regional agencies. Access to ongoing training and clinical supervision could be improved, with approximately one third of staff having not received training in the last five years, and nearly one in five agencies not offering regular clinical supervision. Preferred options for the further development of cannabis treatments included support for medications and specific cannabis outpatient clinics. Discussion: To adequately assist with the consequences of cannabis use frontline workers need to be adequately supported to deliver evidenced based interventions.

Keywords

cannabistreatmentcliniciansmarijuanaworkforce
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Tropical Psychology , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , 01 March 2011 , pp. 27 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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