New manager appointed to taskforce tackling substance in Kildare
SURF is a hub within Kildare, West Wicklow, South and West Dublin, which aims to tackle problematic substance use and its impact on individuals, families and communities
A new manager has been appointed to the Kildare-based Substance Use Regional Forum (SURF) which is the former South Western Regional Drugs & Alcohol Task Force.
SURF is a hub within Kildare, West Wicklow, South and West Dublin, which aims to tackle problematic substance use and its impact on individuals, families and communities.
The new manager, Grace Hill has spent over 20 years working in community drug and alcohol services, most recently as co-ordinator of the Tallaght Drugs and Alcohol Taskforce (TDATF).
She joined TDATF as a development worker after earlier community work in Ballyfermot and has worked in Tallaght since 2005.
Her involvement in the sector was influenced by her parents, who helped establish the Ballyfermot STAR project in 1998 in response to the heroin crisis affecting the community.
Over her career, Grace has played a key role in the development and formalisation of community drug services in Tallaght and the wider area.
She has been involved in the establishment of a number of initiatives, including the Connect 4 Project, a street-work youth service in Killinarden and Jobstown, and contributed to a 2021 research project on crack cocaine that led to the introduction of two addiction treatment pilot programmes.
Grace has also been a strong advocate for frontline community drug workers and for increased resourcing of addiction services, highlighting the challenges faced by services, particularly during high-pressure periods such as Christmas.
The SURF office is based in Naas.