Funding for Springhill Addiction Treatment Centre good news for Napier

The allocation of funding for the Springhill Addiction Treatment Centre is good news for the campaign to reduce the harm being caused by the misuse of alcohol and other drugs in Hawke's Bay, says Associate Health Minister and Progressive leader, Jim Anderton.

"I am very pleased to announce today that some of the funding that the
Progressive Party secured in the Coalition Government's Budget 2004 for addiction treatment in the central North Island region, has now been allocated to the Springhill Addiction Treatment Centre in Napier," Jim Anderton said.

"I am very happy that some of the funds secured in 2004 are going to be used to ensure that this leading provider of residential addictions treatment can both continue and expand its services," he said.

"The $480,000 of funding will go toward the centre’s facilities re-development project. This project has been many years in the planning and will make a positive difference to the treatment of addictions in this region of New Zealand," the Progressive leader said.

"In the public forums that I have chaired around the country over the past 18 months or so on P, alcohol and other drugs, community support for investing more in treatment beds is often expressed.

"Securing this residential centre’s development is a valuable step. I am proud to have been a part of it, but I am also acutely aware that New Zealand needs to make further investments in the campaign to reduce the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs," Jim Anderton said.

Note To Health Reporters:

An alcohol and other drug treatment facility was established in Napier in 1976. The service was initially offered at the Napier Hospital site. With the generous assistance of the Williams family through a $70,000 grant, the former Bethany maternity home in Morris Street was eventually purchased and Springhill commenced its residential service from its new home in 1980.

Napier’s Springhill Centre provides a very special residential addiction treatment programme. Thousands of New Zealander’s have received assistance at the Springhill Centre, recovering from the depths of drug and alcohol dependence. A drug and alcohol treatment facility was established in Napier in 1976, initially at Napier hospital site, then at Bethany with the current Springhill service commencing at its current site in 1980. So this service has been provided for over 30 years. Springhill is an 18-bed programme for people 18 years and over.