Ballarat Community Health has used a parliamentary inquiry to shine a spotlight on a lack of services for addicts in the region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
BCH chief executive officer Robyn Reeves told the Law Reform, Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee, sitting in Ballarat today, that detox options in Ballarat were "not sufficient" to deal with the ice issue locally.
She said there were currently no detox facilities in the entire Grampians region, apart from some youth facilities.
The inquiry heard it was a similar situation with rehabilitation centres.
"We need to spend a lot on better education, both on risks and the services and support available," she said.
Ms Reeves also said she was concerned as to the way ice had been "hyped-up" in the media.
"Violence and aggression is referred to a lot in media, however that's not the case in our clients," she said.
"Clients generally presenting after some sort of crisis."
Ms Reeves said ice led to hypersensitivity, to increased sexual activity and which was leading to more cases of sexually transmitted diseases.
