Cash windfall for drug and alcohol projects

Three new projects to help combat the effects on families of drug and alcohol abuse in West Lothian have secured almost £1million of funding.

The extra money has come as the numbers seeking help from services doubled during the pandemic, and will help maintain and expand some services.

The West Lothian Alcohol and Drug Partnership, (ADP) has been awarded funding through the national CORRA Foundation charity, which in 2020 set up a 10-year plan to tackle poverty and empower communities through grant aid.

The foundation is backed by Scottish Government for its National Mission on Drug Deaths launched last year which has allocated an extra £50m to tackle the surge in drug deaths.

A total of £795,433 will be split between three projects.

The CORRA Foundation Children and Family Fund has made an award to a collaborative bid led by West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service (WLDAS) and included the Youth Action Project (YAP) and Circle Scotland, an Edinburgh based charity which supports families.

The Whole Family Approach Project will see the biggest award of £496,508 over a five-year period. This project will focus on early intervention, prevention and family support for drug and alcohol issues.

The funding will allow for the recruitment of one new full-time staff member to both WLDAS and Youth Action Project as well as other staffing.

The local Family Matters Support Service will get £229,740 over five years to build on their family and carers support group and the one-toone support provided.

The funding means support meetings for people referred to the Family Matters Support service will continue on a weekly basis by Zoom meetings from St John’s Hospital.

Regular attendees rose from 60 to 120 each week after the services moved online during the pandemic.

It will also open up the service to more referrals.

There is also more funding for staff to help with treatment referrals for people arrested.

The project Change,Grow, Live (CGL) secured cash for an Early Intervention Coordinator.

The award of £69,185 is for an additional post for two years and will add staff in the Livingston custody suite, and create closer links with police and other partners.

It will allow nightly staffing at the Livingston police station custody suite as opposed to three days a week currently.