Joint Alcohol and Drugs Action Team (JADAT)

The effects of drugs and alcohol are issues which concern all of us – whether in our work, our neighbourhood or within our family. Tackling this is a high priority sector organisations in Aberdeen City and other agencies and specialists groups.

These organisations work together as one JADAT team to lead and co-ordinate the prevention of problems associated with drugs and alcohol, including providing help to individuals who are affected.

The Partners

Aberdeen City Council, including; Elected Members, Community Services/Social Work/Housing, Learning and Leisure, Community Learning and Development, and the Office of the Chief Executive.

• Aberdeen City Drugs, Alcohol & HIV Forum (representation form drug and alcohol services)
• Grampian Police
• NHS Grampian, including the Aberdeen City Community Health Partnership and Specialist Substance Misuse Services
• Procurator Fiscal
• Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations
• HMP Aberdeen
• Community Representation

Aims of the JADAT

The four main strategic aims, which are consistent with the Scottish Executive’s National Drug Strategy ‘Tackling Drugs in Scotland – Action in Partnership’ and the National Alcohol Action Plan are:

1. To help young people (under 18’s) to resist developing problems associated with alcohol and drug use, and to cope with alcohol and drug use in the family, in order to achieve their full potential in society.
2. To work with adults and communities to promote community responses to alcohol and drug issues and to develop useful communications with specific groups, forums and members of the public.
3. To enable people with alcohol and drug problems to overcome them and live healthy and crime-free lives.
4. To reduce crime and anti social behaviour and to protect our communities.

The role and function of the Aberdeen JADAT is to provide strategic direction for the Action Team, ensuring that we take forward locally the national strategies for drugs and alcohol, identifying local priorities and making the best use of the resources available to us.

Many specialist drug and alcohol agencies have a role to play in achieving the strategic aims of the Action Team.  These include treatment agencies, support agencies, law enforcement agencies and those involved in education and prevention work.  The Action Team aims to link up service providers and provide a more effective service to substance misusers, their families and the wider community and to ensure that value for money is achieved by reducing duplication while allowing for user choice.

There is a lot of information around, both locally and nationally, and sometimes it is difficult to decide what is relevant and what is not.  The JADAT has developed a website, www.jadat.org.uk, which was launched at the beginning of July.  The site will be continually up-dated so that the information is relevant and of interest to those working within the field of drug and alcohol misuse, and to those who have an interest or concern about it.

Contact

Lynne Coull (9am - 1pm, Monday - Thursday) Information Officer Aberdeen JADAT Aberdeen City Council Community Development St Nicholas House, Broad Street Aberdeen, AB10 1GZ Tel: 01224 522304 Email: lcoull@aberdeencity.gov.uk