Northern Australia Service Area H&I Hub Report – June 2026

Summary

Below is an overview of Northern Australia H&I activity, highlighting distribution by facility type, monthly presentation load and comparison of metro and non-metro H&I delivery.

H&I Presentations by Facilities

Northern Australia delivers H&I presentations into four rehabs, three correctional centres, three mental health facilities and two detoxes.

H&I Presentation Breakdown

Each month, Northern Australia delivers 32 H&I presentations across 12 facilities.

Metro vs Non-Metro H&I

Metro delivers 27 H&I presentations per month compared with 5 in non‑metro areas, signalling opportunities to expand service capacity in rural and regional communities.

Breakdown of H&I Hub Service Delivery – June 2026

Facility Coverage

Northern Australia currently delivers H&I presentations across detox units, rehabilitation centres, mental health units, and correctional facilities. The table below summarises the distribution of facilities and presentation frequency across Cairns, Darwin, and Brisbane.

South East Queensland H&I Activity

The following facilities are located within SEQ and are already included in the totals above. Volunteer numbers and presentation frequency are listed to show current service capacity and gaps.

Current Key Initiatives and Requests in Progress

ARSC H&I Workgroup

The Region’s H&I Workgroup operates as an open forum for members to collaborate, share knowledge, and strengthen H&I service.

Northern Australia continues to contribute strongly, with 14 representatives actively involved. There is also consistent crossover between Workgroup participation and H&I service delivery across Northern Australia.

Queensland Drug and Alcohol Court

Queensland Drug and Alcohol Court connected the H&I Hub with Qld Court Link, resulting in a staff presentation being scheduled for 20 July, with a training day planned for November. Court Link is a voluntary, bail‑based support program in the Magistrates Courts that helps defendants address underlying issues linked to their offending.

H&I Workshops

• Orientation Workshops

In collaboration with the ARSC H&I Workgroup, Northern Australia members will assist deliver monthly online orientation workshops for members preparing to start H&I service and learning the basic do’s and don’ts, commencing 5 July.

• H&I Workshops

For members who are curious about H&I and want to get a feel for whether H&I service is right for them, how it works, and the types of facilities we visit, H&I Workshops will be held on 26 and 30 July.

Correctional Centres

• Literature

Where face-to-face presentations cannot be delivered due to limited volunteer numbers, literature support continues. This month, literature was provided to Darwin Correctional Centre and Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre.

• Online H&I – Darwin/Berrimah Correctional Centres

ARSC H&I Workgroup members met with the Prison In-Reach Program to develop a proposal for online NA presentations and are awaiting the review outcome.

• Southern Queensland Correctional Centre

Roster numbers have increased to four women, with three additional applications in progress.

Service Positions – Current Status

• H&I Hub Coordinator

The H&I Hub Coordinator stepped down in August 2025. The ARSC H&I Workgroup Coordinator has been covering the role in an acting capacity. The position will be open for nomination at the August Local Service Conference.

• H&I Workgroup

As a result of increasing demand, the Hub is looking to create a dedicated Workgroup to coordinate facility liaison, literature distribution, PR activities, volunteer recruitment and orientation.