OUR VISION

A Tasmanian community in which health and well-being are promoted and alcohol, tobacco and other drug harm is prevented or substantially reduced

OUR MISSION
To provide leadership, strengthen the capacity of, and promote the interests of non-government, not-for-profit organisations to affect positive outcomes for all people affected by the misuse of alcohol, tobacco and/or other drugs.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

In developing the following guiding principles, the ATDC recognises the political, cultural and civil environment within which it operates and the role of non-government agencies as independent entities whose primary accountabilities are to identified communities. Further, non-government, not-for-profit organisations contribute to the creation and maintenance of Tasmania’s robust civil society and provide opportunities for Tasmanians to make individual and collective contributions to their communities.

• The ATDC is committed to the principle of harm minimisation.
• Substance misuse is shaped by a range of social, economic and situational factors and accordingly requires a coherent population health approach that takes into account all risk and protective influences
• Successful responses to substance misuse requires health promotion, prevention, harm-reduction, treatment approaches, and --- the recognition /or promotion of resilience of those harmed by substance misuse.
• Planning, review and evaluation of services and related initiatives are enhanced by consumer participation.
• All stakeholders involved in the ATOD sector must be supportive of an environment that promotes the self-determination of those harmed by substance misuse.
• The non-government, not-for-profit sector makes an important contribution to service delivery and policy development resulting from their accountability to the communities they serve.
• Our actions, and those of the non-government, not-for-profit sector must be, evidence-informed, transparent and have an on-going commitment to quality improvement and meaningful evaluation.
• Meaningful partnerships and collaborations are the foundation for successful, sustainable responses to Tasmanians’ substance misuse and the harms that arise.
• It is the shared responsibility, ownership and accountability of the ATOD sector that maximises opportunities for those harmed by substance misuse.

MEMBER SERVICES

With our members, and on behalf of those members, we:

1. Work to create opportunities for members to participate in relevant committees, working groups and taskforces, representing those members where appropriate.

2. Consult with members and other stakeholders in developing strategies that will enhance the performance of our sector and improve public understanding of the importance of the work of our sector.
3. Meet regularly with the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and other relevant government agencies to ensure that these agencies are aware of developments in our sector.
4. Assist members with a range of organisational capacity issues, including the preparation of submissions, strategic planning initiatives, approaches to quality improvement and workforce development strategies.
5. Regularly communicate with members and the wider ATOD sector to ensure access to current, reliable information on ATOD issues.
6. Bring members together on a regular basis to share information and perspectives and to assist in framing ATDC priorities for action.
7. Encourage and, where possible, commission research on topics related to ATDC’s policy advocacy and sector development goals.