Help and support

If you’re unsure whether a client is suitable for opioid pharmacotherapy, seek secondary consult from the AOD clinical leads within your organisation, or from an AOD service provider. Alternatively, speak directly to an accredited doctor.

For further help, information and advice, see below. These numbers are available to all members of the community.

Additional Information

For people thinking about going on pharmacotherapy, Harm Reduction Victoria has made a series of four videos to assist with this decision-making process.

Changing Lanes (HRV)

The Association of Participating Service Users (APSU), a service of the Self-Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC), has also created two podcasts on the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacotherapy, combining the real-life experiences of people with the perspectives of professionals.

Straight From the Source

Penington Institute’s Community Overdose Prevention Education (COPE) program works with any organisation whose clients include people who use opioids and/or people who may witness an overdose.

Community Overdose Prevention Education (COPE) program

The Drug Overdose Prevention/Peer Education (DOPE) program has delivered peer-based overdose education to illicit drug users since 1999. Overdose training sessions are available for staff and clients.

Drug Overdose Peer Education (D.O.P.E)

Clinical guidelines

Australia has national guidelines outlining the broad policy context and framework for opioid pharmacotherapy. The guidelines aim to promote a national standard for opioid pharmacotherapy treatment, while also recognising the different jurisdictional approaches.

Most states and territories also have their own publicly available clinical guidelines, as well as a separate guidelines document for LAIB (due to its recent introduction as a treatment option).

These documents are useful for health and medical professionals seeking clinical advice – but can also be useful to the broader community. Links are provided to each document below.