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Queensland launches $5.4m bid to beat ice addiction in the bush

Ice addiction's impact is being felt in major cities and country towns.

Ice addiction's impact is being felt in major cities and country towns. Photo: AAP

The Queensland state government is investing $5.4 million across two years towards helping regional families break the cycle of ice addiction.

Almost one-in-three children who go into state care have a parent with a current or previous methamphetamine problem, child safety minister Di Farmer said on Sunday.

The new ‘Breakthrough for Families’ program aims to help parents break the cycle of addiction so they can safely look after their children.

“This drug causes rapid damage within families. Most of the harm is to children under the age of five, and usually happens less than a year after the parent starts using ice,” Farmer said in a statement.

“These families need specialist help if they aspire to being good parents to their children.”

The program will target Cape York, Townsville, Cairns, the Sunshine Coast, Logan and Caboolture, Mackay, Darling Downs, West Moreton and South West, and the Wide Bay.

It will include individual support sessions, public workshops and forums, and will be delivered by Apunipima Cape York Health Service, Lives Lived Well, Drug Arm and Bridges Aligned Service.

The Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council has also been brought on-board to support delivery of the program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

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