Bendigo

Outreach support is flexible in lots of different ways.

Outreach means YSAS drug and alcohol workers can come to you. They will meet you in your own space or in your own community; wherever you feel safe.

Outreach workers support you how you want to be supported and make sure that the help you get is matched to your needs.

If you’re between 12 – 25 years and have problems with your drug and/or alcohol use an outreach worker can help by:

• Assessing your needs and making a support plan with you
• Alcohol and other drugs support and education
• Referrals and linkages
• Practical support (getting Centrelink sorted, organising a doctor’s appointment)
• Family support
• General counselling
• Justice support
• Harm minimisation

Outreach is a good option if you:

• Have a lot of other things going on in your life as well as use of drugs and alcohol
• Need practical support to get stuff sorted while working on your drug and alcohol use
• Find it hard to make it to an office to catch up with a worker

Things to think about

Sometimes you will still need to organise an appointment to meet up with your outreach worker. The appointment may be in the office or somewhere in the community that you feel comfortable.

If you’re aged 12–25 and want to withdraw from alcohol and/or other drugs while staying at home or in a safe, stable place (like with family or friends), our Home-Based Withdrawal program could be a great fit for you.

Our nurses provide outreach support, meaning they can come to you. They don’t just support you through withdrawal—they’re also trained in mental health care. This means they can help you manage things like anxiety, depression, stress, or other mental health concerns alongside your AOD recovery.

This program might be right for you if you:

Have a safe and supportive place to stay during withdrawal

Are dealing with both AOD use and mental health challenges

Have other ongoing health issues

Take complex medications

Are on pharmacotherapy (like Methadone or Buprenorphine)

Are pregnant and using substances

The family specialist role is like a regular youth outreach worker who has scope to work with you and your family, caregivers or other important in your life.

This service is available to young people who engage with YSAS and provide consent for the family worker to provide this support.

We provide support with:

• Identifying strengths and goals
• Family or caregivers understanding drug use and adolescent development
• Family meetings to work as a team and understand each other’s perspective and improve relationships