In April 2013, the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council SA (ADAC), Aboriginal Health Council of SA (AHCSA) and Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS) formed a consortium to establish a therapeutic community model of care service to address the AOD needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people in the north west region of South Australia.
The three partners are also all state wide community organisations with member organisations in all communities within South Australia.
Established under the auspice of the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council SA, the North West Regional Residential Service, known as Footsteps – road to recovery, is the only alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the region.
Established at Port Augusta, SA, Footsteps supports individuals and families with after care and case coordination, to strengthen their capacity to address alcohol and drug problems and reconnect with their families, communities and cultures.
Footsteps is a proud employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and regards its human resources, cultural integrity and service partnerships as key components to the success of its service.
Footsteps adopts a harm minimization approach under a therapeutic community model to reduce the impact of alcohol and drug usage on our community. At the same time Footsteps recognises and supports abstinence based approaches and will strive to represent the interests of all in working to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol and drug usage within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of South Australia by;
As a residential rehabilitation service based on a therapeutic community model, Footsteps aims to:
Inspire and empower Aboriginal people to live free of the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs
To provide and deliver a culturally appropriate, healing, residential therapeutic community that is holistic, effective and creates a better everyday life for Aboriginal people with alcohol and other drug problems, in the NW region of South Australia.
The service receives referrals for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women aged 18 years and over.