I am writing in response to the letter sent to you from Brigita Bezjak, published in the Yass Tribune on Wednesday November 4. Like so many other people in our local community, Cathy Campbell volunteers her own time (hundreds of hours over the past few years) to participate in Yass Valley Community Drug Action Team (CDAT). There is no link at all between Cathy’s voluntary work with the Yass Valley CDAT and her employment at Yass Valley Council. Brigita’s letter wrongly assumes that there is a link. 

This year, the Yass Valley CDAT has been proactive in implementing a number of programs in Yass Valley, including Save a Mate training at Yass High School for all Year 11 and 12 students, facilitating a regional forum for CDAT’s from the surrounding region and distributing harm minimisation material at a number of community events. The Yass Valley CDAT, in partnership with the Goulburn CDAT has also prepared and submitted a funding application to implement a program to help reduce underage drinking and increase everyone’s knowledge around liquor supply laws in NSW. 

Active lobbying of organisation and businesses to cease operating and of individuals to cease using drugs and alcohol is not the approach used by the Yass Valley CDAT. The aim of the Yass Valley CDAT is to work with the local community to design and implement projects that educate people about the harmful health effects that can be caused by drugs and alcohol. By taking a preventative approach to the issue, the Yass Valley CDAT is working to reduce the impacts on individuals, carers and the general community.