Rehab course still not evaluated
A controversial Mongrel Mob-run drug rehab programme has been running for more than a year now, but still hasn’t had its effectiveness evaluated, which the Ministry of Justice says presents a ‘‘significant risk’’.
The Kahukura programme is a 10-week course for up to 10 participants, their partners and whānau, with up to 30 on each intake on a Hawke’s Bay marae.
In 2020 the programme was selected to receive $2.75 million over four years from the Proceeds of Crime fund. It is designed to ‘‘reduce crime and harm to the community by addressing methamphetamine dependency, facilitating and supporting trauma recovery, and enhancing positive whānau and identity development and resiliency’’.
The programme sparked controversy ahead of its launch in 2021, with opponents saying the Government was ‘‘funding gangs’’.
Politicians, police and the judiciary were split on the merits of the programme.
The funding was released by the Ministry of Health to Hard 2 Reach – a consultancy run by former senior public servant and Mongrel Mob honorary life member Harry Tam.
The Proceeds of Crime Fund uses the assets confiscated under the Proceeds of Crimes Act to ‘‘address organised crime harm and drug-related harm, test innovative solutions to complex issues relating to crime-related harm’’ and ‘‘enable agencies to build an evidencebased case of what works in addressing
crime-related harm’’.
The Ministry of Justice assessment of the programme as at June this year, released under the Official Information Act, said 39 people had been through the programme and just one had failed to graduate.
Of the 22 people who had completed the programme in the first two intakes, about two-thirds reported they still used methamphetamine, although most said they used less than they used to.
The report said the most significant risk facing the programme was a lack of evaluation.
‘‘We are now more than one year into
the programme and there is no contract in place for an evaluator.’’
There had been anecdotal and selfreported evidence that suggested the initiative was receiving positive results in reduced methamphetamine use and increased employment, the report said, before noting ‘‘It would be useful to discuss opportunities to measure justicesector outcomes using Ministry of Justice/Police data’’.
One of the programme’s targets was to achieve 50% improvement in substance dependence after six months. The report said 32% of participants had self-reported no use of meth in the 6-12 months since completing the programme.
Another target had been reducing convictions by 20% in the six months after completing the programme. This couldn’t be assessed as ‘‘further investigation/collaboration [is] needed on best measures and processes to assess justice sector outcomes’’.
On the positive side, 65% of participants self-reported an improvement in their physical health between week 1 and week 8 of the course, and of the 22 unemployed participants who attended the first two intakes, 10 had since found employment of some kind.
Perhaps the most important target – that there be a reduced number of suicides of participants – had been achieved, with zero recorded suicides.
Tam referred questions to the Ministry of Health.
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand interim director addictions, commissioning, Peter Carter on Thursday said Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand had commissioned an evaluation of Kahukura.
‘‘Until this is complete we can’t definitively comment on the success or effectiveness of the programme,’’ he said.
‘‘In general terms, maintaining abstinence from a specific substance is key component of overall recovery and a crucial factor considered when it comes to the longterm viability of a pilot such as Kahukura.’’
He said the stated aims were a reduction in drug use, but also to ‘‘improve physical health and improve social functioning (such as reduction in convictions and engagement in education and employment)’’.
‘‘Once the evaluation is complete, this information will also help gauge the effectiveness of the programme. Early indicators are showing positive results,’’ Carter said.