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Getting help
Page content: Accessing services | Drug information services | Other referral & counselling services | Alcohol & drug services | Alcohol self help groups/volunteer organisations | Services for families | Smoking | Sexual abuse | Gambling | Legal | Interpreting services | Blood borne viruses/sexually transmissible infections - information & support | Telephone referral & counselling services | Other ways to get helpIf you think you have a problem with drugs or know someone that you think may have a problem, the first step to getting help is talking to a counsellor/health professional or someone else you can trust and chat with, such as a friend or family member.
Counsellors and health professionals can provide you with confidential advice and refer you to a drug service that is right for you.
You can take this first step by:
- visiting a doctor or local health service
- phoning Directline on 1800 888 236, which is a 24 hour telephone counselling, information and referral service. At DirectLine, you can talk to professional counsellors who are experienced in alcohol and drug-related matters
- contacting a drug referral and counselling service in your area - Services Directory (Better Health Channel).
Accessing services
Counsellors, doctors and health professionals are able to help you if you have a problem with drugs. They have worked with lots of people and can be trusted to be completely confidential.
To begin with they will do an initial assessment of your drug problem and then refer you to a service where you can get the help you need.
If you have a friend or family member who has a problem with drugs, counsellors, doctors and health professionals are also able to provide you with advice on how to help the person in need. Sometimes it just helps to talk to someone who doesn’t know the person directly.
Drug information services
Information about legal and illegal drugs is available through telephone services and Websites. The services listed below give you information on drugs, their effects and specific drug problems.
Directline
Phone: 1800 888 236
Directline is a 24 hour telephone counselling, information and referral service for people wanting to discuss any alcohol or other drug related services.
Drug Info Clearinghouse
Drug Info Clearinghouse is
located at the Australian Drug Foundation
Phone: 1300 858 584
Email: druginfo@adf.org.au
- Reference library for information on drugs and alcohol
- Help for young people, parents and teachers
- Publications and other resource material available.
- Service directory for drug and alcohol treatment
- Fact sheets on a range of health and medical topics.
Health Translations Directory
This directory links to online multilingual health resources from government departments, peak health bodies, hospitals, community health centres and welfare agencies.
Drug Information in Other Languages
Phone: 1800 123 234
- Fact sheets in a number of languages providing information about drugs, including prevention and services
- These are also available from your local community centre
- Drug and alcohol information in a number of languages.
Australian Drug Information Network
This is a central point of access to quality internet-based alcohol and drug information provided by prominent Australian and International organizations.
Syringe Helpline
Phone: 1800 552 355
- Provides information on needle and syringe programs throughout Victoria
- Provides assistance with the discovery of used syringes.
Other referral & counselling services
Sometimes people who have a problem with drugs also need assistance with other issues. Here are some places people can go for support:
LifeLine
Counselling for anyone who requires help to cope with life.
Phone: 13 11 14
Foundation House
Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture
Phone: (61 3) 9388 0022
- Foundation House aims to meet the needs of individuals and families of refugee background in Victoria who were subject to trauma or torture in their country of origin
- The Foundation provides direct care in the form of counselling and support, advocacy, family strengthening, group work, schools support, psycho-education, training and professional development and natural therapies.
Alcohol & drug services
Narcotics Anonymous
For drug self help.
Phone: (61 3) 9525 2833 Email: navic@vicnet.net.au
Youth Substance Abuse Service (YSAS)
Drug and alcohol services for people aged between 12 and 21 who are experiencing significant problems related to their drug use.
Phone: 1800 014 446 Email: admin@ysas.org.au
Alcohol self help groups/volunteer organisations
Al Anon/AlaTeen
Al Anon is a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their common problems. AlaTeen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking.
Phone: (61 3) 9620 2166 Email: agso@alphalink.com.au
Alcoholics Anonymous
Support for people with drinking problems.
Phone: (61 3) 9429 1833 Email: aavictoria@bigpond.com
Services for families
Kids Help Line
A 24-hour telephone counselling service for children and young people.
Phone: 1800 551 800
Parentline
Parentline provides a statewide telephone counselling service to parents and carers of children aged from birth to eighteen years.
Phone: 13 22 89
Family Drug Help
There are many self-help groups for family members of drug users across the State. These groups provide a regular newsletter, support, information and advice for families.
Phone: 1300 660 068 Email: fdh@sharc.org.au
About Better Communication About Drugs for Parents of Early Adolescents (ABCD) Program
This is a statewide parent drug education program targeted to parents of young people in years 7 and 8. For referral contact Parentline on 13 22 89.
Smoking
Quitline
Professional advice to help people quit smoking.
Phone: 13 78 48
Sexual abuse
Centre Against Sexual Abuse (CASA)
CASA's Crisis Care service provides counselling, support, information and advocacy related to medical and legal options to adult victims of sexual assault.
Phone: 1800 806 292
Gambling
Gambler’s Help
Telephone crisis counselling and referral service for problem gamblers and anyone affected by their behaviour.
Phone: 1800 858 858
Legal
Victoria Legal Aid
Victoria Legal Aid makes legal aid available at a reasonable cost to the community throughout Victoria.
Phone: (61 3) 9269 0120 (metropolitan) or 1800 677 402 (rural)
Interpreting services
Translation and Interpreting Service (TIS)
[Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship]
The Australian Government, through TIS National, provides free interpreting services to non-English speaking Australian citizens or permanent residents communicating with approved groups and individuals.
Phone: 131 450
Language Services Creditline
Most of the service listed on this webpage can arrange for an interpreter to help you over the phone or at appointments. Ask when you make your appointment. Other agencies are also listed in the Yellow Pages telephone directory under ‘Interpreters’. Agencies or individuals requesting a service via these interpretation services may be required to pay for the service.
Blood borne viruses/sexually transmissible infections - information & support
Hepatitis C Council of Victoria
Information, counselling, referral and support for those affected by hepatitis C.
Phone: 1800 703 003
Connect Line - HIV and Sexual Health
The Connect Line provides information, counselling, referral and support for sexual health concerns.
Phone: 1800 038 125
Telephone referral & counselling services
Telephone referral and counselling services provide information, help and referral to drug treatment services. Counselling is provided by trained professionals who understand drug problems and can provide confidential advice. If you require further assistance, the counsellor will refer you to a service for ongoing treatment and support.
Other ways to get help
The telephone referral services listed in this site give you direct access to alcohol and drug counselling and treatment services.
You can also access these services through your local health and welfare services. Counsellors, doctors and health professionals at these services will be able to discuss your problem and provide you with advice on what to do. They can also refer you to a drug treatment service.
| Emergency Services | |
|---|---|
| Ambulance, Fire and Police | Phone: 000 |
| Interpreting - 24 Hour Service Translating and Interpreting Service |
Phone: 13 14 50 |
| Lifeline - Suicide Helpline | Phone: 1300 651 251 |
| DirectLine 24 Hour 7 day a week service |
Phone: 1800 888 236 |
