The Police Drug Diversion Initiative (PDDI) diverts people detected by police for simple possession drug offences to a health intervention instead of the justice system.

What Services are Provided to Clients?

The PDDI clinician provides a health-based assessment, delivery of a screening tool and brief intervention sessions.

Targeted Client Groups

Under the Controlled Substances Act 1984, a SAPOL officer must divert (with no discretion) an individual for the possession or consumption of a controlled substance (including possession of drug use equipment).

The Statutes Amendment (Drug Offences) Act 2018, caps the number of drug diversions accessed by an adult who has committed a simple possession offence to two drug diversions within a four year period.

For a child (aged 10-17 years) this includes all illicit substances, while cannabis is excluded for adults (a cannabis expiation notice applies instead).

For Youth diversions all children (aged between 10 and 17 years) detected committing offences against the Controlled Substances Act 1984 will be diverted into the Juvenile Justice system.

The Juvenile Justice response may subsequently include referral to a health assessment through a commissioned Police Drug Diversion Initiative provider.

Referral

Only police divert people detected for simple possession drug offences to PDDI appointments.

Where

Centacare offers this service at our city site, 45 Wakefield St, Adelaide.

Contact

For more information, please call 8215 6700.