About Local Drug Action Teams

The Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) Program works to develop the capacity of Australian communities to deliver evidence-informed activities that prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug-related harm at a local level.

Objectives

• To support communities to plan, deliver and evaluate effective, targeted, evidence-informed prevention activities to address their local AOD-related needs.
• To build capacity in communities by strengthening partnerships, broadening community leadership, providing resources and access to collaborative learning.
• To increase LDAT knowledge, and the effective application of approaches to AOD prevention, including risk and protective factors, across the AOD lifecycle.
• To support communities to use consultation and local data to understand local needs and measure the impact of their activities.
• To grow the evidence for AOD prevention through learnings from novel approaches used by LDATs that are cost-effective, based on their reach and impact.

The LDAT program definition of prevention

The LDAT program supports communities to prevent and minimise AOD harms through evidence-informed activities which seek to:​

• prevent and delay AOD uptake among young people and/or​
• increase awareness of strategies that individuals can use to reduce their own AOD harm and promote their wellbeing and/or​
• strengthen protective factors and reduce risk factors.

AOD treatment is not funded by the LDAT program.

The Local Drug Action Team Showcase Report spotlights LDATs and the positive impact they’re having across Australia through place-based approaches.

It’s also a celebration of the milestone of 1000 Community Action Plans delivered. These evidence-based action plans guide each LDAT’s prevention activities and are designed by LDATs to address the unique needs of their community.

This report shines a light on those communities, and on the LDAT program as a whole: Australia’s most established national, large-scale community-led AOD prevention program.

A Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) is a partnership of local organisations that work together to prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug (AOD) harm in their community. Each LDAT plans, delivers and evaluates activities through a Community Action Plan, with funding and support from the ADF.

Program design

Who makes up an LDAT

Each LDAT has a lead organisation for governance purposes and at least two community organisation partners. Partners can be any mix of schools, educational institutions, health workers, police, community organisations, businesses or local government, working together on a community-led response focused on AOD prevention.

Strong partnerships are essential to the success of LDAT activities and the longevity of the LDAT.

Key elements of a successful LDAT

Key elements for a successful LDAT include:

• community involvement in LDAT planning, and support for the LDAT
• team membership and collaboration within the LDAT
• use of evidence and data to design and develop Community Action Plans (CAPs)
• the range and types of resources, skills and expertise to support the LDAT
• successful delivery and evaluation of the most recent CAP.

Funding and Community Action Plans

LDATs receive funding from the ADF (on average $20,000) to deliver their approved Community Action Plan (CAP) and evidence-informed activities in their community.

A CAP is a plan that defines the scope of the activity and sets clear evaluation measures to understand whether the activity has had an impact. It defines the target audience and the key issues the community aims to address, describes the actions to be taken, and shows how they will help prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug harm.

All LDATs must plan, deliver and evaluate at least one CAP.

As well as funding received through the program, LDATs can work with more partners who support delivery of their CAP through in-kind support and other expertise.

Why community action works

Community-based action is powerful in preventing and minimising harm from alcohol and other drugs. The LDAT program uses the strength of community partnerships, local knowledge and commitment to boost the factors that protect against AOD harm, and at the same time reduce the factors that increase it.

Community action to prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug harm is effective because:

• the solutions and barriers for addressing alcohol and other drug harm are community-based
• it creates change that is responsive to local needs
• it increases community ownership and leads to more sustainable change.

Protective and risk factors

Factors that protect against alcohol and other drug harm include:

• social connection
• education
• safe and secure housing
• a sense of belonging to a community.

Factors that increase the risk of alcohol and other drug harm include:

• high availability of drugs
• low levels of social cohesion
• unstable housing
• socioeconomic disadvantage.

Alcohol and other drugs are a community issue, not just an individual issue. Learn more about risk and protective factors.

Supporting resource: AOD Lifecycle Planner

Program reach and impact

Since 2017, the LDAT program has built partnerships with communities across Australia and now works with more than 1,300 partner organisations nationally. More than 1,000 Community Action Plans have been delivered, addressing locally identified AOD issues through evidence-informed approaches.

Priority populations for CAPs

• 75% have focused on young people
• 57% are being delivered in regional or remote areas of Australia
• 27% have focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• 15% have focused on culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• 2% have focused on LGBTIQA+ communities.

Read LDAT case studies and stories.

Partner with an existing LDAT

Organisations can get involved in the LDAT program by partnering with an existing Local Drug Action Team. LDATs are looking for new partners, such as schools, health services, community organisations, businesses and local government, to help deliver activities in their community. Use the map above to find an LDAT near you, or contact the Community Hub team.

Last reviewed: 27 October 2026