Alcohol and Other Drugs
VACCHO’s Social Emotional and Wellbeing (SEWB) team have come up with a list useful tools, resources and training to help support Community and our ACCO Members care for their clients throughout their alcohol and other drugs (AOD) journey to healing and recovery.
Most commonly used drugs in Community
VACCHO has developed Healthy Spirit, Health Community, a 58-page booklet and individual drug pamphlets with information on the nine most common drugs in Community. To order these resources contact the SEWB Team.
Language Matters resource
Language is powerful—especially when discussing alcohol and other drugs (AOD) and the people who use them. The Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies (NADA) have developed Language Matters, a useful resource intended for the non government AOD sector, which provides workers with best-practice guidelines on how to use language to empower clients and reinforce a person-centred approach.
Information and support for People Who Inject Drugs
Harm Reduction Victoria – Resources
Over the past 25 years Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic) has created a large number of resources focussed on providing practical information to assist people make informed choices about drug use.
These printable health promotion resources have been peer developed and designed and created for people who are already using drugs to promote safer drug use and harm reduction.
These resources can be accessed by everyone including organisations and support services throughout Australia and the world.
Access them here.
Pharmacotherapy Advocacy Mediation Support (PAMS) – support line
PAMS is a state-wide telephone service run by Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic) and funded mainly by the Victorian Department of Health.
They provide telephone-based information, support, advocacy, referral and mediation for opiate pharmacotherapy consumers and their direct service providers on any pharmacotherapy client related issue in Victoria.
PAMS support line (Free call) 1800 443 844
Training RESOURCES
Training resources for ACCOs and health professionals to support people who use and inject drugs
Peningtion Institute x VACCHO – Injecting Ice in the Country
Penington Institute has developed a series of videos and factsheets and supporting training to help mainstream Needle and Syringe Programs (NSP), Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, other frontline services better respond to people who inject drugs.
The resources, Injecting ice in the Country – Healthier Approaches, developed in collaboration with VACCHO, feature interviews with NSP and other frontline workers reflecting on their experiences in managing clients who inject ice.
Free training is available from Penington Institute and the resources are available on their website.
Contact Penington Institute for more information or to book a training session.
Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic) – Training
HRVic provide peer education and training by and for people with lived experience of substance use. All HRVic Workshops and Training are tailored to your individual, your service or your organisation’s needs.
Other useful links
- Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League – tips to keep healthier and safer for people who use alcohol and/or other drugs.
- Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) – is a peak organisation, which aims to reduce the harms associated with alcohol and other drug use within the Victorian community. Subscribe to VAADA eNews to receive regular updated on developments in the AOD sector.
- Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) – The Victorian Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) is a public health initiative that aims to minimise the spread of blood-borne viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B and C among people who inject drugs and into the wider community. NSP locations here.
- WHACK magazine – A Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic) publication written and designed by people who use drugs for people who use drugs. WHACK is an integral part of HRVic’s mission to advance the health and human rights of people who use drugs.
For more information or to find out how we can work with you and/or your Member organisation get in touch with us by filling out and submitting the form below or by call 03 9411 9411
MEMBER ENQUIRIES
Enquiries from Members can be made by filling out and submitting this form.