Monthly Newsletter | Edition 31

Editorial

Dear Colleagues, 

At the end of June, the Yoorrook Justice Commission handed down its final report. After four years of inquiry, Australia’s first and only truth-telling commission to date, delivered an official public record of First Peoples' experiences of the historic and ongoing impacts of colonisation in Victoria. This enduring record will serve as the basis for transforming knowledge of our history and will create understanding of what is required to achieve justice for First Peoples today. VAADA is reviewing Yoorrook’s reports and recommendations on the health and wellbeing system to identify how we can support the Victorian AOD sector to strengthen cultural safety and work alongside Aboriginal community-controlled decision-making and Aboriginal-led service provision.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Bunjilwarra Koorie Healing Service, the only Aboriginal youth AOD residential rehabilitation service in Victoria. Bunjilwarra is an example of self-determination in action, with the service having been run as a partnership between YSAS and VAHS for the last decade, now transitioning to exclusive management by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service. It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to meet with the Bunjilwarra leadership team and listen to Uncle Pat talk about Bunjilwarra’s unique cultural model of care and how they strengthen young people as part of their recovery journey. Uncle Pat’s words are still ringing in my ears. We need more Bunjilwarras across Victoria!

Young people who access AOD treatment experience higher rates of disadvantage across multiple life domains and areas of intersecting care. The clear links between AOD use and disadvantage exacerbate behavioural and life costs for both the individual and community. This is why I was pleased to see the Department of Treasury & Finance identify young people requiring alcohol and other drug treatment with multiple and complex needs as one of two priority cohorts for consideration as part of the sixth Partnership Addressing Disadvantage (PAD). By prioritising young people needing AOD treatment through this PAD, the Victorian Government has a unique opportunity to work with service providers and the private sector on outcomes-based solutions that shift the dial for this cohort of youth and their interactions with other parts of the service system.

Chris Christoforou
Chief Executive Officer

VAADA Updates

The 2025 VAADA Workforce Survey has been a resounding success! Critical insights about the diversity of the Victorian AOD workforce will be given voice to inform VAADA's continuing advocacy for better professional pathways, training and development and wellbeing support.

🎁 A special congratulations to the following lucky recipients of our prize draw!

Thank you again for your support and involvement, together we’re building a stronger, more effective AOD workforce in Victoria.

The survey report will be launched in November. Stay tuned for further details.

Bridging Academia and Ground-Level Experience:
By combining academic insights with on the ground experience, the project aims to develop more coordinated care for young people experiencing risk, ensuring they receive timely and impactful support.

Why It Matters:
Children affected by substance use face serious challenges. This study will help identify the best opportunities for early intervention, reducing harm and improving outcomes for this cohort of young people.

Anushka Ananth, Workforce Development Coordinator will be presenting a poster on the AOD Leadership Accelerator Pilot Program - a sector specific leadership initiative co-designed by VAADA and RMIT. 

Gillian Clark, Manager AOD Strategy & Reform, will be presenting on the Victorian Integrated Care Compass (VICC) tool, designed in the U.S, that assesses integrated care capability tailored for the Victorian AOD and mental health sectors. 

We look forward to contributing to important national conversations on evidence-based practice and sector development.

The Hamilton Centre engaged VAADA to review and adapt the Compass-EZ tool for the Victorian context.  The Compass-EZ was developed in the USA by Dr Ken Minkoff and Dr Christie Cline to measure treatment agencies’ capability in providing integrated alcohol and other drug (AOD) and mental health (MH) care.

The project involved consultation with sector representatives from AOD, mental health, lived and living experience and First Nations.  The tool questions were tailored to our operating context and tested for inclusivity, ease of understanding and relevance in four different mental health and AOD service settings. 

With support from the Department of Health, the VICC will be made available on the Hamilton Centre's website in the coming months, licensed for use by Victorian AOD and MH services. 

VAADA thanks members of the Expert Reference Group for the time they willingly gave to support the project in the interests of our sector.

To address these issues, VAADA, the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU), and the Australian Services Union (ASU) are working together to explore the potential for an Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA).

An online forum will be held in September to share information about EBAs, supported bargaining, and how an AOD EBA could help improve wages and working conditions for Victorian AOD workers. 

This session will also provide space to hear questions, concerns and ideas from the sector as we consider future pathways to a fairer, more sustainable workforce.

Stay tuned for forum details shortly and how to join the conversation.

Family Violence

Honouring Noeline Dalzell: A Call for Systemic Reform
VAADA responds to Coroner’s findings with renewed commitment to culturally safe, trauma-informed care.

We wish to acknowledge the tragic death of Noeline Dalzell, a proud Aboriginal woman, whose passing was the subject of a recent inquest by the Coroners Court of Victoria.

VAADA welcomes the findings of Coroner John Cain, noting the need to strengthen responses when the person using family violence is also using alcohol and other drugs (AOD), and the critical role of system-wide accountability in future responses.

We commend the contribution of our Lead - AOD and Family Violence, Meg Bagnall, whose letter in response to the recommendations has been published by the Coroners Court.

Meg’s response reflects VAADA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening trauma-informed, culturally safe, and coordinated care across the AOD and family violence sectors.

We extend our deepest respect to Noeline’s family and community. Her loss is a powerful reminder of the urgent need for systemic reform.

Workforce Development

Coming up on Elevate...

Sector Updates