Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AOD)

Funded through the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network, the Rainbow Recovery Program offers services to LGBTIQ+ and HIV positive Victorians in in the cities of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, and Maribrynong, Melbourne and Yarra ages 18+. Thorne Harbour Health offers Victoria-wide Care and Recovery and AOD Counselling support.

LGBTIQ+ AOD Intensive Case Manager (LAICM)

The LGBTIQ+ AOD Intensive Case Manager (LAICM) provides intensive therapeutic case management service for clients experiencing multiple, intersecting barriers to service access. This role integrates casework, counselling and advocacy for support periods of up to 12 months to provide trauma informed, person centered care. This longer term work acknowledges the systemic impacts of service barriers for LGBTIQ+ people, and the impact of minority stress on mental health and substance use.

The LAICM supports positive behavioral change in the AOD client through the delivery of evidence-based therapeutic intervention, specifically focused on service linkages, harm minimization and supporting long-term behavioral change. Clients linked with the program are able to access ‘step-down’ care in the form of Care and Recovery Coordination and AOD counselling.

Dual Diagnosis Outreach Counsellor (DDOC)

The Dual Diagnosis Outreach Counsellor (DDOC) extends therapeutic support beyond the counselling room for LGBTIQ+ and HIV+ people experiencing support needs around both mental health and alcohol and drug support. This role is designed to remove barriers to service access for people unable to access site-based AOD Counselling services, offering support in safe and appropriate community settings. This role has a strong trauma-informed, harm-reduction focus, and is supports skill development in stabilisation and emotional regulation. DDOC sits as a ''step-up/step-down'' service, with clients able to move into site-based AOD counselling or Care and Recovery Coordination support when appropriate.

Alcohol and Other Drug Counselling:

Experienced Alcohol and Other Drug Counsellors can meet with you one on one to discuss goals and concerns around your alcohol or drug use.

You may wish to learn more about the effects of drug use on your health or mental health, find strategies to better control or reduce your drug use or access support to stop using completely and improve your well-being. Our AOD Counselling team can offer in person or telehealth support.

Thorne Harbour Health offers therapeutic alcohol and other drug groups throughout the year:

Anchor:

Anchor is a free, eight week program for gay, bi+, and queer men (including cis, trans and masc-identifying people) who want to change, control or stop their alcohol use. In a safe and supportive place, we’ll chat about sex, sexuality, health, relationships, and alcohol use - exploring these issues through group discussion.

Anchor is a confidential and non-judgmental group where we can talk about the role alcohol plays in our lives and our communities. The group will focus on when and why we drink, and we'll explore strategies to manage our alcohol use. We support all people to develop and reach their own goals around alcohol use, ranging from safer drinking and reduction, right through to stopping altogether.

Re-wired:

Re-wired is a free, eight-week program for men who have sex with men (MSM) aimed at helping you learn skills and strategies to change your methamphetamine use and better manage your mental health. The group focuses on topics including: relapse prevention, methamphetamine and the brain, HIV/STIs & sex, mental wellbeing and mindfulness, recovery capital, intimacy, and relationships. Participants identify their specific goals around their use, explore their individual motivators and triggers associated with their use patterns, and develop strategies to support achieving these goals long term.

Drink Limits:

Drink Limits is a free, six week group for lesbian, bisexual and queer women (cis and trans) and anyone female identifying who is concerned about their drinking. Drink Limits is facilitated by two experienced female counsellors. It will be a small group of 6 – 10 people and will meet weekly for the 6 week period. The group explores the barriers that get in the way of changing your drinking habits. It also offers a space to share techniques that might be useful in your goal to reduce or stop drinking and attain a level of resilience to deal with life’s problems in ways other than alcohol.

If you are interested in any of the above, please call us today on (03) 9865 6700.

TAPS:

Trans and gender diverse alcohol and other drug support group (TAPS) is a fortnightly peer-led, goal-based support group for transgender, non-binary and gender diverse people looking to better manage their alcohol and other drug use. TAPS is facilitated by trans, non-binary and gender diverse peers. TAPS is about meeting you where you’re at, which may mean exploring how and why you are using, moving towards more control over your use, or reducing or ceasing use all together. TAPS has a harm reduction framework, and focuses on how to reduce the harms that can come from using alcohol and other drugs. In the group we will support you to identify your goals around your use and develop strategies to achieve these goals long term. Come for one session or attend regularly. TAPS runs fortnightly Tuesday from 6pm to 7:30 pm, alternating between Zoom and in-person at Thorne Harbour.

Re-Wired 2.0:

Re-Wired 2.0 is a fortnightly peer led, goal-based support group. The group is open to men who have sex with other men (MSM) who want support in a peer led environment to change, control or stop their methamphetamine use. This group is ongoing, which means that participants are welcome to came to as many or as few as they like. This group is not specifically abstinence based and has no spiritual or religious affiliations. The Re-Wired 2.0 program is free, and clients can attend on a drop in basis.

If you are interested in any of the above, please call us today on (03) 9865 6700.

Touchbase is our hub of alcohol and drug information specifically for LGBTIQ+ people. Read up about drugs, how they interact with each other, and how you can use safely.