On this page
-
NSW Drug Court Program
-
MERIT
-
EDDI
NSW Drug Court Program
The Adult Drug Court is a specialised court, operating under the Drug Court Act 1998 with the aim of breaking the cycle of drug dependency, criminal activity and imprisonment. The court targets drug-dependent adult offenders who are facing a custodial sentence and offers the option of drug treatment while on parole or probation.
The system works with close cooperation between the Ministry of Health, Justice Health and the Forensic Mental Health Network, three local health districts and a range of non-government organisations which assist in providing drug treatment including residential rehabilitation.
MERIT
The MERIT program is a court based diversion program that allows arrested defendants with substance use problems to be assessed for suitability to undertake treatment and rehabilitation under bail conditions. As a result of that assessment, Magistrates can bail defendants to attend dedicated drug treatment services created through specific MERIT program funding.
As of 2017, MERIT is now available in 62 local courts across all fifteen local health districts.
To date over 28,700 adult offenders have entered the program since 2000, and almost 18,200 have successfully completed from the program.
For more information about the program and how to make referrals please visit
Department of Justice
MERIT Priority Access Residential Rehabilitation Bed Allocation
NSW Health funds non-government organisation (NGOs) sites to provide priority access residential rehabilitation and withdrawal management beds for MERIT clients.
See below table for further information.
MERIT priority access residential rehabiliation (RR) and withdrawal management (WM) treatment bed list (as of December 2024)
The Buttery
| 2 | 0 |
| Calvary Riverina | 3
| 2 |
| Jarrah House | 2 | 0 |
| Kamira | 2 | 0 |
| Kedesh Rehabilitation Services - Illawarra | 1 | 0 |
| Lives Lived Well - Watershed | 1 | 0 |
| Lives Lived Well - Wyla | 5
| 2
|
| Namatjira Haven | 2 | 0 |
| Odyssey House | 4 | 1
|
| Oolong House | 2 | 0 |
Salvation Army - Adele House
| 5 | 0 |
| Salvation Army - Dooralong (Men) | 4 | 0 |
| Salvation Army-Dooralong (Women) | 2 | 0 |
| Salvation Army - William Booth House | 1 | 0 |
| St Vincent's de Paul - Freeman House | 3 | 2 |
Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation - The Glen for Men
| 2 | 0 |
| We Help Ourselves - Goulburn | 2 | 0 |
| We Help Ourselves - Gunyah | 4 | 0 |
| We Help Ourselves - Hunter Valley | 4 | 0 |
| We Help Ourselves - New Beginnings | 1 | 0 |
| We Help Ourselves - RTOD/OSTAR | 3 | 0 |
| We Help Ourselves - West | 1 | 0 |
| Weigelli Aboriginal Corporation | 2
| 1
|
EDDI
EDDI allows NSW Police to issue on the spot fines for low-level drug offences on two occasions. This is instead of a court attendance notice. The fine is resolved if penalty recipients pay the fine or speak to a nominated health professional.
EDDI aims to provide people with low-level drug offences support to understand the risks associated with their drug use. It also aims to increase court efficiencies by diverting people away from the courts.
NSW Health fund St Vincent's Health Network to provide the statewide EDDI telephone counselling service.
Recipients of a fine who choose to complete the health intervention with the EDDI telephone counselling service will:
- participate in screening for risks related to their drug use
- be provided with feedback, information and education about their level of risk in relation to their drug use
- participate in brief assessment and intervention with a focus on strategies for behaviour change
- have the option of taking up referral for ongoing treatment and support
- have the option to receive a follow-up phone call for additional support (recipients of a second fine only).
After the appointment, the EDDI telephone counselling service will report completion of the health intervention to Revenue NSW to allow the fine to be resolved, however no additional personal health information will be shared.
