Community Offenders Advice & Treatment Service (COATS)

Community Offenders Advice and Treatment Service (COATS) was established in November 1997 and is provided by the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO). It remains the largest of these forensic community drug and alcohol treatment initiatives in Victoria.

As a result of referral from the Courts, Police (via Direct Line) or the Parole Board, COATS undertakes an assessment, provides an alcohol and drug treatment plan and purchases any necessary treatment from community-based alcohol and drug treatment agencies for parolees and offenders who receive community based dispositions or a Combined Custody and Treatment Order (CCTO).

In exceptional cases, COATS can undertake pre-sentence assessments for the Court, particularly where the Court is considering a CCTO. COATS is also responsible for the brokerage, data collection and financial reporting of the Commonwealth Government’s National Illicit Drug Strategy (NIDS) Diversion Initiative.

COATS remains the largest of all Victoria’s treatment programs, with over 6000 offenders per annum either assessed or referred to treatment by COATS. The majority of these offenders are men aged in their twenties who are subject to Community Based Order.

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