PHN Funded Services

The Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program provides culturally appropriate non-residential treatment programs, pharmacotherapies, counselling, referral services and aftercare.

The AMS provides a range of services including:

• Client focused health promotion including harm minimisation advice
• Infectious disease screening and contact tracing
• General primary medical care
• Counselling for alcohol and other drugs issues
• Methadone maintenance and buprenorphine out-patient detoxification and maintenance pharmacotherapy treatment programs
• Outpatient rehabilitation services
• Outreach counselling
• Referral services
• Dual diagnosis management in conjunction with AMS general medical, psychiatry and psychology clinics

Eligibility

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that are registered patients/clients of the service and their families.
• Clients over 18 who present with substance use.

How to access the service?

Self-referral or via an allied health service.

Contact Details

Aboriginal Medical Centre
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program
36 Turner Street, Redfern, NSW 2016.
Phone: (02) 93195823
Website: http://amsredfern.org.au/

ACON provide confidential FREE short-term person centred alcohol and/or drug counselling (12 sessions) for people of diverse gender and sexuality, their partners, family and friends.  Counsellors use evidence based therapeutic approaches to support behaviour change and provide harm reduction psycho education to assist clients to better understand and manage their use, reduce or quit, and improve their mental and physical health outcomes.

Aftercare support can also be arranged for clients who are exiting residential treatment programs. Clients of the Substance Support Service are also supported to access detox and residential rehabilitation as required and are followed up in preparation to leaving as part of a transition plan. In planning for the end of treatment, counsellors work with clients to develop skills and strategies for relapse prevention, harm minimisation and self-care. Counsellors also help clients identify the formal and informal support networks and groups available and appropriate to them.

Clients can be linked in with a range of ACON’s programs including our care coordination and sexual health testing.

Eligibility

ACON’s Substance Support provides services to people of diverse gender and sexuality, their partners, family and friends over the age of 18.

How to access the service?

This service is offered in Sydney and across the state and is currently available by video and phone due to COVID restrictions. We hope to resume face to face sessions in our Sydney office once the restrictions ease.

We can update this once we open our offices and provide face to face sessions.

For more information or to undertake a brief assessment please contact our Sydney office or submit an enquiry. Phone: 02 9206 2000

Evaluation of ACON’s Substance Support Service

The Substance Support Program is one of few drug and alcohol services in Australia that is specifically designed for people of diverse sexuality and gender. University of New South Wales (UNSW) conducted an evaluation that examines the impact of the service on clients’ substance use and psychological wellbeing, and whether clients of the service reported different treatment outcomes to clients attending mainstream services.

Read the full evaluation report here.

More information can be found here.

Community Restorative Centre’s (CRC) Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Transition Project delivers holistic treatment to people with complex needs on release from prison in the CESPHN. The program provides pre-release engagement and AOD support and counselling within a holistic approach that recognises the social and community context of AOD use, working with individuals to develop skills to manage AOD use.

CESPHN also fund two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Transition Workers as part of the project, to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in the program.

Eligibility

• Experience of imprisonment
• Geographic location on release from prison.
• Problematic AOD use which is connected to offending behaviour
• Willingness to engage with the service (non-mandated involvement)
• Difficulty accessing mainstream AOD services

Priority is given to clients who come from backgrounds of complex disadvantage and who have had difficulty accessing mainstream AOD services.

How to access the service?
Contact by phone: (02) 9288 8700 or request AOD Transition Program Referral Form through CRC’s online enquiry from.

Referrals can also be made through Service and Programs Officers (SAPO), Parole officers or Case Manager within NSW corrections.

Learn more about CRC’s support: Watch Jarrad’s story

What is the Haymarket Foundation AOD Psychology service?

The Alcohol and other Drug Psychology Service is an evolution of the Haymarket Foundation’s long standing counselling services. The program is delivered by an experienced clinical psychologist and is run from the Haymarket Foundations AOD offices in Woolloomooloo.

The psychologist works with people through face to face sessions and digital communications.

The service is open to marginalised and disadvantaged people. The service provides ongoing support as well as opportunities to assist clients develop themselves through self-exploration and understanding within a therapeutic AOD approach.

The service provides individual and group psychotherapy, harm minimization, assessment and referral, relapse prevention therapy, care coordination, psycho education, and crisis intervention etc.

Eligibility

The service is available to individuals over the age of 18. The service is designed for marginalised and disadvantaged people and those who seek change in their lives.

Note: This is not a crisis service, in an emergency please call triple zero (000).

To be put in touch with your local mental health service, call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.

How to access the service?

• Phone: 1300 029 202 or direct 9197 9740
• Email carlosd@haymarket.org.au
• Available Monday to Friday: 7.00am to 3.00pm
• Address: 140 Cathedral St, Woolloomooloo

What is the Haymarket Foundation AOD Support Service?

What is Foundations and who can use it?

The Salvation Army’s Foundations Program is a community based AOD program located in Maroubra and Miranda. The service provides comprehensive assessment, care planning, case management, and educational and therapeutic group programs.

Evidence based tools are used to ensure effective matching of services for the person, which may include individual, group based, telephone and online support.

The Foundations Program is a group psychoeducation program that includes:

• Drug and alcohol education
• Relapse prevention and management
• Developing a healthy and positive lifestyle
• Values and goals identification
• Harm reduction strategies

Eligibility

• People over 18 experiencing problems or harms related to alcohol and other drug use.
• Those that do not meet the criteria of problematic substance use will be offered an appropriate referral.

How to access the service?

The service is located in Maroubra and Miranda:

Foundations Maroubra

• Phone: 0408 798 172 or 0427 394 155
• Email: pathwaysmaroubra@salvationarmy.org.au
• Address: 100 Boyce Road, Maroubra, NSW 2035

Foundations Miranda

• Phone: 02 9540 4460
• Email: pathwaysmiranda@salvationarmy.org.au
• Address: 23 Kiora Road, Miranda NSW 2228

Further Information

Foundations Program Brochure

Foundations Online Brochure

Relapse Prevention Groups Brochure

The Salvation Army’s Choices Program is a non-residential program providing psychological support/counselling, AOD support, parenting support and group and recreation activities. The broader Oasis service provides case management services, crisis and transitional accommodation, access to legal support, accredited workplace training, education and vocational opportunities and drop-in facilities.

Eligibility

The service is for homeless and disadvantaged youth aged 16-25 years affected by alcohol and other drugs.

How to access the service?

• Oasis Youth Support Network Phone: 9331 2266
• Address: 365 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

What is The Station Drug and Alcohol Service and who can use it?

The Station Drug and Alcohol Service operates as a drop-in and support service providing alcohol and other drugs (AOD) counselling with a focus on co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol support needs, case management, advocacy and referral.

The aim of the organisation is to improve the health and quality of life of people who present with issues such as homelessness or at risk of become homeless and or unemployed, AOD, mental health and living skills issues. This is done by informing clients of available service options in consultation with relevant community health clinics and other services like Housing NSW, Mental health services, Detox, and rehab facilities, GP, Legal services, Dental Care and other services, advocacy is provided on behalf of the client. The Station Ltd is primarily a Referral and Advocacy agency.

The services offered are:

• AOD counselling and case management for clients experiencing substance use issues.
• Advocacy and referrals for further treatment options assisting clients throughout the process.
• Support to address co-morbidity issues of clients (AOD and mental health issues).

Eligibility

• Any client who is over 18 years old presenting with a substance use issue.
• Clients who drop into The Station who are needing support for their AOD issues.

How to access the service?

• Phone: (02) 9299 2252 or
• Email: dropin@thestationltd.org
• Address: 82 Erskine Street, Sydney NSW 2000
• Available Monday – Friday: 7.30am – 4.00pm / Saturday – Sunday: 7.30am – 2.00pm

CESPHN also funds an identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer position situated at the WHOS Lilyfield site (see above section for more information on the Lilyfield Day Program). They work across the residential and day programs to provide culturally appropriate support.

How to access the service

• Phone: (02) 85727444
• Website: https://whos.com.au/

Weave’s Speak Out Dual Diagnosis Program supports young people experiencing co-existing mental health and alcohol and/or other drug challenges. A clinical diagnosis is not necessary for participation in this program.

Our core support for young people includes individualised case management and/or counselling support, and information and referral. Young people accessing the Speak Out Program can move between group work, project work, community and leadership activities and back into individualised support as needed. Young people can “Weave” between the diverse range of program components and each young person’s engagement and journey with Speak Out is unique.

Eligibility

Young people 12 – 28 years who are experiencing co-existing mental health and alcohol and/or other drug challenges. A clinical diagnosis is not necessary for participation in this program.

How to access the service:

• Phone: 9318 0539
• Office hours: Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 5pm
• Address: Corner Elizabeth and Allen Streets, Waterloo, NSW, 2017

What is the role of Mental Health Nurse Coordinator Support at the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre?

The Mental Health Nurse Coordinator at Uniting MSIC aims to:

• Provide frontline mental health care and support to registered MSIC clients.
• Improve networks between MSIC and local mental health services to allow for better integrated care
• Facilitate coordinated care planning between a diverse group of health services, leading to improved outcomes for clients

How to access the service?

Drop in to the service located directly opposite Kings Cross Station, entry via Darlinghurst Road.

Contact Details

• Phone: 9360 1191
• Website: https://uniting.org/who-we-help/for-adults/sydney-medically-supervised-injecting-centre

The telehealth and digital Primary Care Telehealth Alcohol Withdrawal and Recovery Service (PCWRS) provides all the clinical components of a withdrawal service, including consultations with a General Practitioner (GP) and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Nurse delivered through telehealth video consultation and online technology support to individuals through their care journey.

The service is currently available to individuals requiring mild to moderate alcohol, cannabis and stimulant withdrawal, who meet inclusion criteria to receive support at home.

The service provides:

• Program introduction and suitability assessment with AOD Nurse
• Readiness check and blood tests review with AOD Nurse
• Daily check in with AOD Nurse throughout detox
• Oversight by Clean Slate GP throughout detox
• Online technology support to individuals
• Care package for each individual containing breathalyser and vitamin regime
• Collaboration with local GP to facilitate health summary, blood tests and observation.
• Post detox review and aftercare by Clean Slate GP
• 1, 3, 6 and 12-month follow ups with AOD Nurse
• Regular updates to local GP following each review plus discharge summary with aftercare details.

Hours of Operation

Consultations with AOD nurse and GP will be provided on Monday to Friday between 7.00am – 7.00pm.

Support is also facilitated via online technology as needed.

Eligibility

• Mild to moderate dependence
• Over 18 years of age
• Local named GP

Exclusion criteria:

• History of withdrawal seizure
• Complex comorbidities or mental health issue
• Concurrent other drug dependence
• Lack of support person
• Lack of secure housing

How do I refer?

You can refer via:

• Fax: 02 8088 7814
• Phone: 02 3813 8104
• HealthLink Secure Messaging: clnslate
• Medical Objects Secure Messaging: Dr Chris Davis, Provider Number: 4842356H

Or simply direct patients to the Clean Slate Clinic Website and ask them to contact us

Do you need a referral letter?

Clean Slate Clinic does not officially need a GP referral letter however they will write to ask for recent blood tests (ideally less than 6 weeks old) and a health summary.

Is there anything I can ask my patients to do whilst they are waiting to speak to the Clean Slate Clinic?

Start taking thiamine, 200mg daily, as soon as possible. Clean Slate Clinic advises patients to keep drinking to the same levels until they can be assessed. You could also direct them to www.hellosundaymorning.org for some excellent support and information. Please also consider a mental health care plan as appropriate.

For more information about the program:

Clean Slate Clinic Webinar: Top FAQs about Home Alcohol Detox for Health Practitioners 

NSW PHN Webinar – A practical guide to alcohol home detox for GPs and further information about the telehealth model

Home Detox – Supporting patients to overcome alcohol addiction

Spotify Podcast: Alcohol Recovery and the Clean Slate Clinic with Dr Chris Davis and Flip Prior