Thomas Gould
Question:405. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to the adult diversion programme in each of the years 2019 to date. [26876/24]
View answerTuesday, 25 June 2024
Questions (405)
Written answers
The Programme for Government commits to implementing the health diversion scheme as an important step in developing a public health-led approach to drug use. This scheme will connect people who use drugs with health services and a pathway to recovery, avoiding a criminal conviction, which can have far-reaching consequences for people, particularly younger people.
Under the health diversion scheme, An Garda Síochána will divert a person found in possession of drugs for personal use to the HSE for a health screening and brief intervention.
The SAOR (Support, Ask and Assess, Offer Assistance, Refer) Model has been adopted by the HSE as the national model for delivering screening and brief intervention for drug and alcohol use. Funding of €0.7m was made available to the HSE in Budget 2022 and drawn down in Q4 2022 for the establishment of the SAOR Screening and Brief Intervention Service as part of the health diversion scheme.
I look forward to the commencement of the health diversion scheme which will treat drug use as a health issue and give people who use drugs the opportunity to avoid a criminal conviction.
Question No. 406 answered with Question No. 403.
Question No. 407 answered with Question No. 403.
Question No. 408 answered with Question No. 403.