The Wire

A radical new approach to curbing alcohol harm in Aboriginal communities was put forward at a national forum in Sydney today. The Drug and Alcohol Research Centre symposium heard from a researcher working with Aboriginal health workers in rural NSW to develop a family-based method to reduce alcohol-abuse.

The community reinforcement and family training approach known as CRAFT is a program for family members and friends of problem drinkers. They learn skills to remove positive reinforcement for drinking behaviour and increase positive reinforcement for non-drinking behaviour.