Support options

Centre-based counselling and support involves meeting with a trained Youth AOD counsellor or other therapist for scheduled appointments to discuss substance use or other issues that are currently impacting them. 

Generally, young people are required to make their own way to appointments so this option is well suited to young people who have the resources to get themselves around and are personally motivated to attend. 

Sessions are 1:1 and could cover a number of different topics, from Drug and Alcohol counselling to grief and loss or family therapy. 

Centre based support and counselling is also often used to support young people experiencing a range of mental health concerns, including major depression, PTSD, other anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and psychotic illness.  

Residential Withdrawal units, sometimes called ‘Detox’ or ‘withdrawal units’ are safe, supportive units staffed 24/7 by Youth Drug and Alcohol Workers where a young person typically stay from seven to ten days. 

During this time they may experience withdrawal – their body and brain adjusting to not having drugs.  Nurses and usually a doctor will help them cope with these physical symptoms and youth workers support them with emotional needs during this time. 

Whilst staying in the unit, young people have the opportunity to participate in activities such as art or music programs, going to the gym or movies, drug education sessions and other self-care activities.  

Healthy eating and sleeping are encouraged, as is talking to medical staff about any physical or mental health issues. 

Most importantly residential withdrawal units provide a safe drug free space for young people to withdraw from recent substance use and make plans for ‘where to from here’. 

For many young people Residential Withdrawal is a safe drug-free place they may return to several times. 

It is suggested that young people seeking a stay at a residential withdrawal unit also link with a Youth Drug and Alcohol Counsellor in the community. This is recommend so the young person has some additional supports in the community to continue working on their goals once they leave the withdrawal unit.  

Many family members have heard of ‘rehab’ and believe it to be a solution to a young person’s drug and alcohol issues. 

Rehab is where a young person lives with a group of others in a substance free supported accommodation staffed 24 hours by trained workers. They have the opportunity to participate in a structured program that often involves developing a plan with the young person to meet their social, emotional and educational needs. Young people are encouraged to return to study or look for work and learn basic living skills for when they leave the program. 

There are two Youth Residential Rehabilitation Units in Victoria for young people aged between 16 to 25 years of age. For young people under the age of sixteen there has been much consideration put into whether this support option if appropriate. Rehab is not recommended for young people aged 16 and under as there are community based options available that are more developmentally appropriate for these young people.    

Long term residential support requires a commitment of anywhere from three to six months during which time a young person lives away from their regular circumstances. This can be highly disruptive to young people who are engaged in school or work or who have close supportive relationships. 

Before entering a Residential Rehabilitation Unit a young person will need to complete a detox. This is to ensure the young person has safety withdrawn from drugs. When completing a referral for a Residential Rehabilitation Unit this will be explored with a young person.  

For a referral to any support service to be completed a conversation and assessment with the young person will need to be completed. Hearing from the young person directly ensures we understand their needs and goals as well allowing their voice to be heard.

Home Based Withdrawal (HBW) is where a young person gets linked up with a drug and alcohol outreach worker who is also a registered nurse. They meet up 1:1 to discuss substance use and also get practical support with health issues. 

Health issues can be challenging to deal with at any time of life but ongoing health problems (physical or emotional) can hit young people hard. Drugs that reduce pain, anxiety or worry can be particularly appealing to young people with health concerns. On the other hand, substance use can often make health issues worse. 

This can be a great option for young people who experience chronic illness, complex medication regimes, are on pharmacotherapy, experience medical complications from injecting or those who have health issues (such as dental problems) that they would like to address. Home based withdrawal nurses also work with young women who are pregnant and using substances. 

Young people who wish to reduce their substance use and have a safe, stable, drug free home environment to attempt this in can also benefit from visits from home based withdrawal nurses. 

It is important to note that there are some instances where it is risky to rapidly reduce substance use in the community and residential detox (link to residential detox) is recommended. Home based withdrawal nurses work closely with residential withdrawal units to make this possible.  

Self-directed Help is where a young person accesses booklets, books, videos, websites, worksheets or even apps to work through or explore substance use issues. 

It is low cost, flexible support option for young people. Best of all, even though self-directed help usually occurs without another person, you can also check out the resources and use them to help. 

Young people who already have their basic needs met and have a safe and supportive home environment, may want to start looking at self-directed help to reduce use, minimise harm or to prevent relapse. It is great for young people where significant risk or harms related to their substance use have not been identified. Young people who are still working on the problems that underpin their use (and still using substances) can still engage in self-directed help and there are resources especially designed to help them to stay safe and avoid risks while using. 

Likewise, young people who you feel may not be ready to access help may use self-directed help to ‘suss out’ the options and prepare themselves for engaging with a professional.  Some young people, like adults can also feel uncomfortable sharing their problems with a professional ‘face to face’, so rather than pushing them to engage, self-directed help can be a good option while they think about whether or not they would consider seeing a worker. 

Young people who may be reluctant to get help may use self-directed help to ‘suss out’ the options. 

Typically, resources used for self-directed help can be provided by a Youth AOD worker or online such as in YoDAA’s self-help section for young people.  Mobile applications are also increasingly popular with young people as a way to track their substance use, set goals, and get information and education.  

Day programs, sometimes called ‘drop in centres’ are safe places where a young person can go during the day and seek help with their substance use and any other identified needs.  They are staffed by Drug and Alcohol Workers and can look something like a lounge room with young people hanging out, using the computers, pool tables, making snacks for themselves or playing pool. This can be a safe, non-threatening way for young people who have made the choice not to seek support from a drug and alcohol worker to begin to access support. It can often lead to the young person connecting to other support options once their trust has been built at the Day Program.  

Some Day Programs have access to showers, washing machines, GP’s and other services that offer vocational skills and health education. Young people can be substance affected at these programs and it can offer a space where they can be monitored by trained staff to ensure their safety.  

Any young person can access a Day Program, they are often open during business hours and there may be other young people spending time there.  

Peer support is where individuals who have experienced AOD problems offer mutual support to others who have, or have had, difficulties with substance use.

Alcoholics anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) provide the majority of formal peer support programs ; however, there are many other examples of peer support.

WHAT INTERVENTIONS CAN BE OFFERED THROUGH PEER SUPPORT? 

• Sense of community
• Sharing of experiences
• Peer education on harm reduction

WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEST SUITED TO PEER SUPPORT?

Peer support is best suited to young people who:

• Have high or severe AOD use
• Are hard to reach
• Are mistrustful of professionals.

Contact YoDAA (1800 458 685) if you wish to find a service

When you consider how much time young people spend talking to their friends online or on their phones, it is not surprising that some are more comfortable talking to support workers in this way too. 

E-support, sometimes called telephone or online counselling, is a form of drug and alcohol support that some young people may prefer and engage better in than face to face sessions. 

A drug and alcohol worker is there to provide counselling, referral to local services and assess drug and alcohol and mental health issues however, a young person is not required to attend an office – or even leave their home.  

Regardless of the substance a young person is using or the amount being used, e-support is a great option for young people who do not want to meet a worker face to face, and who have a safe, private place free of interruptions to access the internet or talk to their worker on the phone.  

Though there are many benefits to e-support, it is not suitable for everyone. Young people who do not have a stable home and who are still working to get their basic needs met are better suited to face-to-face options where workers can meet with them and help them organise things like housing and transport. Likewise, young people whose substance use puts them at great risk, benefit from face to face catch ups with a worker who can check that they are ok and get them medical help if needed. 

Think e-support might be a good option for your family member? Some examples of e-support services YoDAA recommends are e-headspace and counselling online (not specifically for young people).