Victorian drug treatment services

There are a variety of services available to help you if you have a drug problem, or to help you stop or reduce your drug use.

The following provides information about the different types of counselling and treatment services that are available in Victoria and should be able to help you when dealing with different agencies.

Counselling and Support
Withdrawal Services
Methadone and Other Pharmacotherapies
Rehabilitation and Post Withdrawal
Services for Families
Services for Young People
Services for Koori Communities

Counselling and Support

Counselling is provided by social workers, health professionals, psychologists, general practitioners, consultant physicians and psychiatrists.

The range of services provided includes assessment, treatment and consultancy, outreach referral and ongoing case management.

Withdrawal Services

Residential Withdrawal

• Usually involves a short stay in a community residential drug withdrawal service or hospital.

• Home based withdrawal is provided by an experienced nurse and a medical practitioner where the withdrawal is of mild to moderate severity and support is available from a family member or friend at home.

• This is available to people whose withdrawal can be appropriately managed without admission to a residential service and involves a series of intensive individual consultations over a short period, followed by ongoing counselling and support to help complete the withdrawal.

• In country Victoria, general practitioners and health services often provide treatment and support involving a short hospital stay (where required) with a period of home based withdrawal.

Methadone and Other Pharmacotherapies

Pharmocatherapies is the term used to describe the use of medication to assist in the treatment of addiction (i.e. methadone, buprenorphine).

Methadone is usually administered through general practitioners who have been trained to prescribe methadone and is available through a range of community pharmacists.

Specialist methadone services may be required when there are associated complex medical, psychiatric or psychological problems. Specialist methadone services operate in association with a general hospital.

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Rehabilitation and Post Withdrawal

Residential Rehabilitation

• Residential rehabilitation is usually offered to people who have previously undergone a drug or alcohol withdrawal program without success.

• This is for people who do not have a stable home environment. It helps them achieve lasting change and assists in their re-introduction to the community. Services include, as a minimum, a day support worker from a community based setting, usually within public housing.

• Provides mutual support and information by individuals with a personal experience of alcohol and drug use. Peer support groups or activities are usually established by current or past alcohol and drug users.

Services for Families

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.
• For family drug help, contact 1300 660 068

• These programs are provided by alcohol and drug professionals to groups of parents across Victoria. Such programs will provide support to parents and families of drug users and assist them to respond effectively to children and other family members with a drug problem.

• These services are provided to families who seek assistance, counselling and support to their family member who has a drug problem.

• This is a State wide parent drug education program targeted to parents of young people in years 7 & 8. Parents can learn to enhance their communication skills, parenting practices and knowledge to help them build positive, trusting relationships with their children and prevent or cope with adolescent drug use.
• For further information contact Moreland Hall on 9386 2876.

Services for Young People

These services are available in Victoria specifically for young people.

Youth Outreach and Support

• Outreach services provide assessment, support and ongoing case coordination for young people in their own environment.

• Withdrawal services are provided through a community residential drug withdrawal service or through hospital based treatment.

• These services are provided for young people where the withdrawal is of mild to moderate severity and the person can be supported by a family member or friend at home.

• Comprising a 15-bed state-wide facility to provide 24-hour staffed residential programs that will provide a range of interventions for young people whose established use of drugs has caused them significant harm.

• Provides a supportive residential environment to help young people achieve lasting change and assists in their re-introduction into the community.

• Outdoor adventure activities are used as therapy for young people experiencing alcohol and drug problems.

Services for Koori Communities

Koori-specific alcohol and drug treatment services are provided to Aboriginal people who are affected (either directly or indirectly) or who are at risk of being affected by alcohol and/or other drugs.

Koori Community Alcohol and Drug Workers undertake a number of activities to reduce the use of and harm caused by drug and alcohol in their communities. These activities include health promotion, information provision, education activities, development and maintenance of community linkages, referrals and counselling. These workers liaise with services in an advocacy role on behalf of the service user.

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