Drug and Alcohol Program Consultations - Stage 3

Overview

We asked

Between 13 March 2026 and 17 April 2026, we tested proposed changes to the Drug and Alcohol Program (DAP), including its program logic and key performance indicators (KPIs). This work is part of a staged reform process to support stronger program outcomes and inform the design of future 3-year grant opportunities.

You said

We heard broad support for a DAP that reflects the diversity of alcohol and other drug (AOD) services and recognises that people’s experiences of alcohol and other drug harms are shaped by a range of personal, social and structural factors, requiring flexible, person-centred support that responds to different needs, contexts and pathways over time.

We heard from service providers, peak organisations, researchers, AOD practitioners and others across the sector. We thank everyone who shared their views and helped shape this work.

Feedback highlighted the importance of a person-centred and strengths-based approach that recognises people’s goals, progress and lived experience, including that pathways through support are not always linear.

Overall, feedback supported a high-level and enabling program framework, with several areas identified as important to ongoing design and implementation, including:

• Recognising diverse service models and the different roles they play across prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery and system support.
• Supporting access to services that are person-centred, culturally safe and responsive to community needs.
• Strengthening the role of workforce capability, partnerships, evidence and data as key enablers of quality service delivery.
• Ensuring performance information is meaningful, practical and able to reflect progress in ways that work for different services and communities.
• Implementing change in a staged and considered way, with clear guidance and time for services to prepare.

We did

We have reviewed the feedback received across the consultation stages and used it to inform the finalised DAP program logic and KPIs. Feedback has guided us to:

• Consider the program design so it better reflects the diversity, complexity and realities of AOD services.
• Improve clarity and practicality of how expectations, measures and guidance are communicated to services.
• Support a staged and considered implementation that strengthens the evidence base over time while recognising sector capacity and context.

Watch the video

Slides and transcript

These reforms mark the beginning of a long-term effort to build a stronger and more sustainable DAP that improves on current arrangements, with this first stage focused on strengthening the evidence base to better demonstrate program impact. We also heard important feedback about broader system issues and challenges that sit beyond the scope of the DAP alone. Such insights will help inform future implementation and be taken forward through wider AOD policy and program development.

Next steps / watch this space

The final design of new DAP funded programs, including any future grant opportunities, is subject to decisions by Government.

Any information about potential grant opportunities will be released publicly on GrantConnect, in line with the Commonwealth Grant Rules and Principles 2024.

Organisations can register to receive notifications about forecast and grant opportunities as they arise.