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Edition 21 | September 2024
Dear Colleagues,
It’s 12 months since I first joined VAADA. The generosity of the AOD sector over this time has been my highlight. Through consultation, advice, collaboration or contribution, our members and partners make the work at VAADA rewarding every day. The passion that our treatment providers, health services and harm reduction agencies bring to the Victorian AOD sector is the key reason for our shared impact. We are all working to ensure that the community has access to the best advice and support for alcohol and other drug substance use when they need it.
Recently VAADA launched its 2025 Biennial Conference, and I have been humbled by the commitment of sector stakeholders to sponsor the Conference. Many of these organisations are financially stretched at the moment, challenged by the tough financial times in Victoria and by constrained AOD funding. Through their support, they demonstrate how now more than ever, it is critical to have a strong peak body, that can coordinate our shared interest to provide the best possible care to all Victorians wherever they may be.
It's pleasing that the Victorian Government has confirmed its scope and timelines for the development of a much needed AOD Strategy. VAADA held a wide-ranging AOD Strategy Consultation, kindly hosted by Thorne Harbour Health which saw more than 50 organisations gather in person from across Victoria to discuss our vision and goals. There was a strong emphasis on human rights and person-centred care as necessary leading values to underpin a strategy, with a strong recognition of the need to address broken AOD sector components including intake and assessment, funding models and allocations, data collection and use of outcome measures and accountability mechanisms.
VAADA remains committed to progressing this work with all of you.
Chris Christoforou
Chief Executive Officer
Contents
- VAADA Conference News
- Symposium: A Spotlight on Women's Issues and Perspectives with Substance Use
- Sector Demand Survey | Treatment Delayed is Treatment Denied
- VAADA Press Release: Data from the Coroners Court of Victoria
- Care and Complexity: Towards a re-designed Victorian AOD Service System
- Victorian AOD Strategy Consultation
- AOD Service Providers Conference Wangaratta
- Special General Meeting of Members
- Family Violence Updates
- Workforce Development including Elevate! ACECHO, VAADA’s Sex, Sexuality & Gender Diverse AOD Worker Network and AOD Scholarships
- From our Members | Jesuit Social Services and Turning Point
- Research, Reports and Submissions
- Events
- Jobs Board
VAADA Events
CONFERENCE NEWS
February 13-14, 2025
Grand Hyatt, Melbourne
Early Bird Tickets Now Available
Submit Your Abstract - Closing 31 October
MEET OUR SPONSORS...
PLATINUM SPONSORS
Odyssey Victoria as a Platinum Sponsor of our 2025 Biennial Conference.
Odyssey Victoria is very much core to the fabric of our AOD treatment system and has a long, proud history of strengthening individuals and families in their recovery from AOD across our State.
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
EXHIBITORS
Elevate! Presents...
Symposium: A Spotlight on Women's Issues and Perspectives with Substance Use | Wednesday 16 October 2024
This one day symposium explores how women's experiences with substance use are shaped by factors like societal expectations and caregiving roles, which influence their substance use, create barriers to seeking help, and affect recovery. Systemic barriers often disadvantage women in accessing treatment.
This event will enhance your understanding of these unique needs, offering opportunities to engage with experts, hear from women with lived experiences, and participate in a workshop that provides practical strategies to improve your support practices.
VAADA Updates
The latest VAADA Sector Demand Survey reveals a staggering 93% increase in people waiting for AOD treatment, with up to 4,615 people on the waitlist each day. This is up from 2,385 in 2020.
The urgent need to expand access to support is clear, emphasising that many Victorians are missing critical help when they are most ready to seek it.
With AOD issues contributing to 6.7% of Australia’s health burden, investing early in treatment can prevent increased costs later on.
The latest data released by the Coroners Court of Victoria last week, revealed an alarming 547 lives in Victoria were lost to fatal overdoses in 2023, making it the second highest total on record.
Over the past decade, 5,052 Victorians have tragically lost their lives to overdose, highlighting the urgent need for continued action. Our CEO, Chris Christoforou emphasises the lasting impact on families and calls for action on further harm reduction strategies like more medically supervised injecting centres.
As the Victorian Government develops a new Alcohol and Other Drug Strategy, it’s crucial that these numbers drive meaningful change. Every life matters.
Care and Complexity: Towards a re-designed Victorian AOD Service System is a new summary report by the University of New South Wales and VAADA which highlights the difficulties Victorian’s face getting drug treatment.
The commissioned report found the drug treatment system is beset with systemic inefficiencies, which multiple reforms have failed to fix. Navigating the drug treatment system and trying to get help is complex and time consuming, according to the report.
We hope that as the Victorian Government embarks on the development of a new drug strategy, this report will help provide a roadmap to a more accessible AOD treatment system in Victoria.
Victorian AOD Strategy Consultation
AOD leaders from 50 Victorian organisations met at Thorne Harbour Health to discuss their vision for a Victorian AOD Strategy. The consultation coincided with the Department of Health's plans to partner with stakeholders in 2024-2025 to develop a 10-year strategy that addresses the needs of all Victorians.
AOD Service Providers Conference Wangaratta
In September, VAADA hosted an AOD Service Provider Forum in Wangaratta, co-designed with local services and attended by 60 professionals. Funded by Murray PHN, the forum fostered networking, service updates, and discussions on drug trends, youth and AOD, and older people.
VAADA are looking forward to planning and organising more AOD Forums across the Murray region over the next two years.
General Meeting of VAADA Members
In September, a General Meeting was held to approve amendments to VAADA's Rules of Association. These changes were vital to modernising our governance structure, ensuring clarity, and aligning with current legislation and best practices. We are pleased to announce that the resolution to accept the amendments was successfully approved, strengthening our governance foundations.
Family Violence
MARAM Alignment for the Sectors
VAADA recently co-hosted a roundtable event with the Centre for Mental Health Learning (CMHL) to bring together the Mental Health and AOD Specialist Family Violence Advisors to identify the priorities for MARAM alignment for the sectors.
The event included representatives from Safer Care Victoria, the Department of Health, No to Violence, and Safe and Equal. CMHL and VAADA provide the statewide coordination for the Specialist Family Violence Advisor Program, which is a vital capability building program to support MARAM alignment for the mental health and AOD sectors and workforces.
Thank you to everyone involved for your dedication to improving outcomes for those affected by family violence.
Key Findings from the Rapid Review (2024) on Alcohol-Related Harms and DFSV, and the Impact on the AOD Treatment Sector
The Rapid Review (2024) provides critical insights into the interrelation between alcohol use and domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV). Below is a summary of key recommendations and findings related to alcohol-related harms in DFSV contexts and the potential impact on the AOD treatment sector.
Key Recommendations from the Rapid Review (2024):
- Equip and Resource Services (Recommendation 11a)
- Cross-Sector Collaboration (Recommendation 11d)
- Capability Uplift Across Intersecting Workforces (Recommendation 14c)
- Regulating Alcohol-Related DFSV (Recommendation 17a)
- Restricting Alcohol Sales and Advertising (Recommendation 17b)
National Cabinet committed to action on alcohol as one of 4 key priorities to enhance our response to DFSV, through an extra $4.7B in funding to address this issue.
Workforce Development
Now Open for Enrolment
Superskills: Top up for Supervisors
October 10 | Free Course | Online
Working with Trans and Gender Diverse People
October 29 | Free Course | Online
Single Session Family Consultation
November 11 | Free Course | In Person
Forensic Fundamentals
Self Paced | Free Course | Online
Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Scholarship Program
The Victorian Government is offering scholarships for mental health workers employed in Victorian public mental health and wellbeing, or alcohol and other drug services.
Applications are now open for 2025 Allied Health and AOD Scholarship Program and Lived and Living Experience Workforce University Scholarship Program. The scholarships are offering development opportunities for:
- mental health nurses
- allied health professionals (including social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists and other allied health disciplines)
- alcohol and other drug (AOD) practitioners
- lived and living experience workers
Join VAADA’s Sex, Sexuality & Gender Diverse AOD Worker Network!
The network meets quarterly and is a chill, friendly space to network, share info, discuss your work, and participate in professional development opportunities.
The next meeting is November 14 and will include a presentation on research from Latrobe University examining LBQ women’s alcohol and nicotine use. We’d love to see you there.
Please note: The meeting is only for people who identify as sex, sexuality or gender diverse (no allies please).
Statewide AOD Collaborative ECHO (ACECHO)
Join our free monthly online Community of Practice on 23 October at 12:30pm - 1:30pm When too much caution can mean too little care: Community Access to Pharmacotherapy for Alcohol by Dr Paul McCartney, cohealth
Click here to view our schedule, register for the zoom link and watch previous sessions.
Do you have a case you need advice on?
Case presentations by participating healthcare providers are the cornerstone of the ECHO model.
Presentations are always followed by an open question-and-answer discussion of the case and recommendations by the hub team. To submit a case for presentation, click on the button below.
ANMF members considering a career in the AOD sector, or those who are already working in the space and want to consolidate or build their skills in caring for people with an addiction, are invited to apply for a $10,000 scholarship.
As part of an ongoing ANMF (Vic Branch) and Turning Point project, the Victorian Department of Health is offering scholarships valued at approximately $10,000 for nurses and midwives working in the Victorian health system to complete a Graduate Certificate in Addictive Behaviours in 2025.
This one-year, part-time course, facilitated by Turning Point staff in conjunction with Monash University, is delivered online so you can study from anywhere across the state.
Expressions of interest close 5pm Friday 25 October 2024.
From Our Members
The Man Box 2024 Report
The “Man Box” describes a set of beliefs within and across society that place pressure on men to act in a certain way.
The Man Box consists of 19 “rules” that represent a rigid, outdated and often harmful template for how a “real man” should think, feel, and behave.
Jesuit Social Services surveyed men aged 18-30 years, and men aged 31-45 years about the Man Box rules, as well as their experiences of poor mental health, self-harm, suicidal ideation, gambling and alcohol use.
The study explored the relationship between men’s personal agreement with Man Box rules and their self-reported mental health and well-being.
The 2024 Man Box study has found that men’s personal endorsement (agreement) with Man Box rules is linked to negative impacts on their health and wellbeing. This includes their mental health, gambling and alcohol use.
COPE Program
The COPE program at Turning Point is a free treatment program for women with current Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and problematic substance use. It combines two evidence-based therapies: cognitive behavioural therapy and prolonged exposure.
Treatment consists of 12 weekly individual sessions (90 minutes). Sessions include education + skills development, discussion and processing of traumatic memories, and between session exercises. Clients must be willing to reduce/cease their substance use and to travel safely to Richmond for sessions.
Clinicians can refer suitable clients to the program using this COPE program referral form.
COPE is likely not a suitable treatment for people unable to remember their traumatic events, unwilling to reduce their substance use, or continuing to live in unsafe circumstances (e.g. active family violence).
Australian Water Safety Council Workshop Focused on Alcohol and Risk Taking
Royal Life Saving - Australia, in collaboration with Surf Life Saving Australia, Life Saving Victoria, and the La Trobe University Centres for Alcohol Policy Research and for Sport and Social Impact, are pleased to invite you to an Australian Water Safety Council workshop focused on alcohol and risk taking.
The two-day workshop aims to provide a platform for decision makers to discuss and explore solutions to alcohol-related drowning and broader aquatic risk taking in Australia.
Email us to add an article to the "From our Members" section
(To find out if your organisation is a VAADA Member click here)
Research, Reports and Submissions
In this months Drug Trends Newsletter...
- Key Findings from the National Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) Interviews
- Key Findings from the National Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) Interviews
- Naloxone cascade of care among people who regularly inject drugs in Australia, 2020–2022
- Changes in the rates and characteristics of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB)-related death in Australia, 2001-2023
- 2024 NDARC Annual Research Symposium
Last month, Penington Institute released Australia's Annual Overdose Report for 2024. They are now seeking feedback on how valuable you found the report.
This is an opportunity to help shape future reports by letting them know how you use it, and what would be most valuable to you.
You can access the report here
Events
VAADA Events Calendar
There are currently 35 events on VAADA's Events Calendar for October
APSAD 2024 is looking forward to providing an exciting, dynamic and informative program with the theme of Inclusion…Innovation…Progress.
VAADA is pleased to announce that we have three staff members presenting...
Meg Bagnall, Lead AOD and Family Violence:
Integrating harm reduction in family violence services: A collaborative initiative in Victoria
Gillian Clark, Manager AOD Strategy And Reform:
Women, pain, and substance use: When the ‘pain killers’ stop working
James Petty, Senior Policy And Research Officer:
AOD peaks and truth-telling: VAADA’s submission to the Yoorrook Justice Commission
ATCA Symposium 2024
Therapeutic Communities Today: Adaptation & Impact
Date: Tuesday 19 November
Time: 9am-4.30pm
Location: Amora Hotel Riverwalk Melbourne, 649 Bridge Road Richmond
Cost: ACTA Member $100 and Non Member $130
The symposium will feature engaging speakers, insightful panel discussions and an interactive workshop. It will also provide invaluable networking opportunities with other ATCA members and colleagues from across the AOD sector.
