Alcohol & Other Drugs
Our team works with adults, young people, families and local community organisations. We support recovery and work to reduce the harms of alcohol, medication and other drug use.
Alcohol and other drug services
We are here to help people who are having problems with substances—including alcohol, other drugs, or prescription/over-the-counter medications.
Our team works with you to achieve your goals. You’re also welcome to get in touch with us if you’re worried about a loved one’s substance use. Everyone is welcome to attend our service. Because we work closely with other organisations, we can connect you with other supports you may need— we’re here to help you find the best treatment options.
We can offer services face-to-face and through telehealth (video or telephone).
Types of support available
We offer the following services:
- Individual drug and alcohol counselling
- Care coordination for people with complex needs
- Counselling and support for families affected by substance use
- Needle and syringe program
- Support for young people aged 12-25 years
- Peer support and group programs
- Referrals to residential withdrawal (‘detox’) and rehabilitation (‘rehab’)
- Specialist services for people involved with the criminal justice system
- Specialist services for people who use medications
- Education and training programs for schools and community organisations.
How to make an appointment
If you would like to talk to someone about your substance use, or you’re worried about someone else’s substance use please call us on 03 9810 3080 (press option 4).
For information about alcohol and drug services across the Eastern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne, call 1800 778 278.
Our Alcohol & other Drugs services are available at the following locations:
Fees and payments
Our alcohol and other drug services are provided at no cost to you. Our services are fully funded by the State and Federal Government.
You don’t need a Medicare card or doctor’s referral to access our service. We can also support you if you are worried about a friend or family member’s substance use.
Our team
The alcohol and other drug team is made up of experienced staff, including:
- Social workers
- Psychologists
- Counsellors
- Family therapists
- Nurses and nurse practitioners
- Peer support workers (people with a personal experience of alcohol or other drug use)
We welcome and work sensitively with people who have experienced trauma or have mental health concerns.
Needle and Syringe Program
Services available at:
FAQs
Do you work with people who have a mental illness?
Yes. We welcome people who have problems with alcohol and other drugs as well as other mental health problems (such as anxiety, depression or trauma).
We know that mental health and alcohol and other drug problems often go hand-in-hand, and it can be hard to separate the two. We can make referrals to mental health services if you need more specialised mental health support.
My friend or family member is using alcohol or other drugs - what can I do?
We provide support to friends and family members who are worried about someone’s substance use. We can assist you even if the person using alcohol or other drugs isn’t ready to get help themselves.
We have family support groups, family therapy and counselling for individuals and couples. You can also find out more information about family support services on the First Stop website.
Can you help people who have problems with prescription and over-the-counter medications?
Yes. We run the Medication Support & Recovery Service (MSRS) which provides specialist counselling and nursing support for people who are dependent on, or having problems with medications.
Is your service confidential?
We respect your privacy and keep your health and personal information confidential. This means we don’t share your information without your permission with anyone outside of our service.
However, there are times when we need to share information about you with someone else, even if you don’t want us to.
These situations include:
- If the worker believes you are in danger of seriously hurting yourself or someone else.
- If the worker believes that any children in your care are at serious risk of being hurt.
- If the information is required by law (e.g. if the worker is subpoenaed for a court case relating to you).
- If you tell the worker that you have committed a serious violent crime and the police are not aware of your involvement.
- If you have been referred to our service by Corrections Victoria, Child Protection or Youth Justice, your worker may need to give limited information about your treatment to the person that referred you. If this is the case, your worker will discuss this with you before you start treatment.
Our clinicians work in a team and may talk about cases with others in the team to make sure you are being provided with the best possible care.
You can find out more about how we protect your privacy here.
What if I’m not ready to stop using?
You can still get support from us even if you don’t want to stop using right now. We work with you towards your goals. For some people, this will mean stopping completely. Others might want to cut down how much they’re using, understand why they are using, or use in less risky or harmful ways.