Inquest into the death of LAK

Case Number: 2018/00276778

Date of Findings: 26 August 2022

Magistrate: Deputy State Coroner, Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman

Catchwords: CORONIAL LAW – young First Nation’s man; death in residential drug rehabilitation facility; forensic patient order; cultural safety in provision of health services 

Responses

Recommendations

To the Minister for Health:

That the Minister for Health forward these Reasons for Decision to those in government who are responsible for considering the government response to the Special Commission of Inquiry into Crystal Methamphetamine and other Amphetamine-type Stimulants (the ICE inquiry) – to further inform the consideration of the recommendations of the ICE Inquiry, and specifically recommendations 58 and 63 of that Inquiry:

1. Recommendation 58 That the NSW Government partner with Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal community controlled health services to urgently develop and to significantly increase the availability of local specialist drug treatment services that are culturally respectful, culturally competent and culturally safe to meet the unique needs of Aboriginal people.  
2. Recommendation 63 That the NSW Government provide new specific funding and support to primary care Aboriginal community-controlled health services to build service capacity and staff skills to meet the needs of clients and communities affected by drug use.

The findings of this inquest are relevant to recommendations 59, 64 and 65 of the ICE Inquiry:

1. Recommendation 59 That in implementing Recommendation 2 from the 2018 report of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the provision of drug rehabilitation services in regional, rural and remote NSW, which recommends in part that the NSW Government significantly increase funding to drug and alcoholrelated health services, the NSW Government ensure that the provision of specific services for Aboriginal people meets the unique needs of Aboriginal people. Recommendation 64 That the NSW Government enhance existing strategies to increase and retain the number of Aboriginal people working in agencies and organisations that provide support and treatment to Aboriginal people affected by AOD [alcohol and other drugs], including by implementing the following: • scholarships for Aboriginal Health Workers to train in AOD treatment • Recommendation 11 of the 2017 NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the provision of drug rehabilitation services in regional, rural and remote NSW, that ‘the NSW Government investigate the efficacy of establishing a scheme to establish a full -time local Aboriginal trainee position alongside every skilled position recruited in areas with a significant Aboriginal population’. 
2. Recommendation 65 That the NSW Government ensure that staff of all agencies provide services and care to Aboriginal people that are culturally respectful, culturally competent and culturally safe.