We see the impacts of these problems not just in our health system, but across child and family services, family violence response and law enforcement.
The Victorian Government is acting to tackle these problems and to reduce the harm caused by drug and alcohol.
Each year, more than 40,000 Victorians receive help from our alcohol and drug treatment support services.
These services aim to help people make meaningful and lasting changes in their lives, and stop the devastating effects of ice and other drugs in metropolitan and regional communities.
Caring for all Victorians
The Victorian Government is investing record amounts to assist drug treatment, and support and harm reduction services.
However there is still much to be done.
We will continue to work to tackle the harm caused by drugs and inappropriate alcohol consumption.
By getting people the help they need, we can improve not only their future, but also create safer and more cohesive communities – helping to reduce some of the pressures on other parts of our social and community services system.
For more information on alcohol and drugs treatment services on the Health.vic website.
Actions and outcomes
Victoria’s specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services are available to all Victorians regardless of where they live. Around 40,000 Victorians currently access treatment services each year.
Action: Residential treatment in the Victorian alcohol and other drug system include adult and youth residential rehabilitation services, residential withdrawal services, and post-treatment youth supported accommodation.
Outcome: A range of interventions are offered, including individual and group counselling with an emphasis on mutual self-help peer community approaches, and supported reintegration into the community.
With the high numbers of Victorians losing their lives to drug-related overdoses, the medically supervised injecting room (MSIR) in North Richmond is a safety-first, medical approach focused on harm reduction.
Action: The MSIR aims to reduce overdose deaths and harm, improve neighbourhood amenity for local residents and reduce the number of discarded needles and syringes.
Outcome: Clients are linked with other support services ensuring they have access to the education and treatment they need to ultimately kick their drug dependency.
The Victorian Government has invested more than $180 million to implement its Ice Action Plan, and is investing further to expand harm reduction and treatment services.
Action: The plan addresses urgent issues to support families, provide treatment for users, protect frontline workers, close down manufacturers and make our community safer.
Outcome: The plan has made significant steps to reduce the impact of ice by expanding rehabilitation support for Victorians and increasing education and awareness in local communities.
The Drug Rehabilitation Plan builds on the Victorian Government’s Ice Action Plan to tackle drug problems in Victoria and meet growing demand for treatment
Action: The plan provides $87 million to address drug harms, including new rehabilitation beds, trialling a medically supervised injecting room, and boosting training in the workforce.
Outcome: Initiatives in the plan include new residential rehabilitation beds, workforce training and work to address the issue of unsafe private drug and alcohol treatment.
