VAADA - The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association

VAADA - The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association The Victorian Alcohol & Drug Association Inc. For more information about VAADA and the Victorian AOD sector, please visit www.vaada.org.au.

(VAADA) is a member-driven peak body, whose goal is to promote the reduction of alcohol and drug-related harms in the Victorian community. The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) is the peak body for the Victorian alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector. Our aim is to reduce the harms associated with AOD use within the Victorian community by supporting the sector to provide prevention, advocacy, treatment, rehabilitation and research and education.

In February, VAADA attended and was a proud partner of the First Step’s Futures Forum, where more than 200 people in the...
10/06/2026

In February, VAADA attended and was a proud partner of the First Step’s Futures Forum, where more than 200 people in the sector came together to explore the question 'what do we want our sectors to look like in 25 years?'.

First Step Program has released their resulting Futures Forum Briefing Paper which summarises and focuses the themes addressed on the day, such as:

🔹 Integrated care should be the norm, not the exception
🔹 Lived experience should be embedded in leadership and governance
🔹 Cultural safety should be foundational
🔹 Harm reduction should be understood as healthcare
🔹 Funding should reflect need, not stigma
🔹 Community-led and Aboriginal-led models should be properly resourced

👉 Read the full briefing here: https://ow.ly/yUmH50Z9Oip

The City of Stonington, which includes Prahran, has the 4th highest drug and alcohol related ambulance attendances in Me...
10/06/2026

The City of Stonington, which includes Prahran, has the 4th highest drug and alcohol related ambulance attendances in Melbourne. VAADA supports organisations like Uniting's Hartley's Meals on Chapel Street, which provides vulnerable members of the community with a safe and warm place to get a meal, connect with others, and access community services.

When speaking to their harm-minimisation approach, Lucien Keene from Better Health Network, whose office is in the heart of Prahran, said it best: “We’re zero stigma, zero judgment in places like this. It can be a nice interaction that does set them up to further engage in the healthcare system”.

👉Read the full article from The Age here: https://ow.ly/fa0C50Z9IKm

🚩For more information about Hartley's, including info on how to volunteer or donate, visit: https://ow.ly/XpmF50Z9IKl

📩 The June edition of the VAADA Monthly Newsletter is here.👉 Read the full Newsletter here: https://ow.ly/Lcfu50Z7Szj Ou...
05/06/2026

📩 The June edition of the VAADA Monthly Newsletter is here.

👉 Read the full Newsletter here: https://ow.ly/Lcfu50Z7Szj

Our latest Monthly Newsletter is now live, showcasing what’s been happening at VAADA, updates in the family violence and workforce spaces plus articles from Victoria’s broader AOD sector.

🔹 A wrap up of the VAADA event Walking Together: Treaty and the AOD Sector.
🔹 Analysis of the State Budget 2026-2027 and what this looks like for the Victorian AOD sector.
🔹 Official kick off of the first cohort of our Leadership Accelerator Program plus info on the next intake.
🔹 Exhibitors for the Service Providers Conference announced.
🔹 VAADA’s recent engagement with AOD services and networks across Victoria.
🔹 Appointment of VAADA’s Scott Drummond to the HumanAbility Human (Community) Services Industry Advisory Committee.
🔹 Farewell to the lovely Jane Moreton
🔹 Elevate! Updates
🔹 Plus updates and news articles from the sector

🖋️ Subscribe to ENEWS for sector updates and more: https://ow.ly/16FF50Z7Szk

VAADA welcomes the Victorian Department of Health Naloxone Dispensing Machines Trial. Naloxone is a free, easy-to-use me...
01/06/2026

VAADA welcomes the Victorian Department of Health Naloxone Dispensing Machines Trial. Naloxone is a free, easy-to-use medication that can help temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. Machines are currently installed at the following locations:
🔹Alfred Emergency and Trauma Centre
🔹Bayside Health, Melbourne and Sunshine Hospital
🔹Western Health, Brimbank

20 more machines will be installed across the state, over the coming months. To learn more about free naloxone and find your closest machine visit https://ow.ly/Z5k950Z608Q

This June, Youth Projects is celebrating Pride Month with a series of inclusive events across Sunshine, Melton, Glenroy,...
31/05/2026

This June, Youth Projects is celebrating Pride Month with a series of inclusive events across Sunshine, Melton, Glenroy, St Albans and Werribee for young people aged 15-24 🏳️‍🌈

Co-designed with their Youth Advisory Group, these events are all about creating safe, welcoming and affirming spaces where young people can connect, celebrate self-expression, build community and have fun!

You can get involved by:
✨ Bringing young people along to attend (don't forget to register: https://www.youthprojects.org.au/pride-month-at-youth-projects
✨ Sharing the events with young people in your networks
✨ Participating as a partner organisation to help create safe and connected spaces for young people

This is a great opportunity for organisations and community groups to come together and celebrate Pride Month in ways that genuinely centre young people.

If you’d like to attend, collaborate, support or help spread the word, contact Youth Projects

As we mark National Sorry Day (May 26) and National Reconciliation Week (May 27 –June 3), VAADA acknowledges the endurin...
27/05/2026

As we mark National Sorry Day (May 26) and National Reconciliation Week (May 27 –June 3), VAADA acknowledges the enduring impacts of past government policies and practices on Aboriginal communities.

Following consultation with VAADA's Aboriginal Advisory Committee, VAADA is pleased to release 'Walking Together: Treaty and the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Sector'. A paper designed to support mainstream AOD services to align with the principles of Treaty and contribute to better outcomes for Aboriginal people.

Reconciliation is not passive; VAADA invites you to engage with the reflective questions and valuable Aboriginal-designed resources included in the paper, and consider how the AOD sector can begin to walk alongside Aboriginal people and Aboriginal services to improve outcomes, today and every day.

👉Read the full paper here: https://ow.ly/6bb950Z4E8r

⚠️Drug Advisory: HE**IN FOUND IN CO***NE products across Melbourne Victorian Department of Health⚠️ Three people in sepa...
24/05/2026

⚠️Drug Advisory: HE**IN FOUND IN CO***NE products across Melbourne Victorian Department of Health

⚠️ Three people in separate incidents have recently required emergency care as they experienced a he**in overdose after using what they thought was co***ne.
⚠️ He**in is an opioid, even small doses of it can produce life-threatening toxic effects.
⚠️He**in is a very different substance from co***ne, although it often appears in a similar white powdered form.
⚠️Signs of opioid overdose include breathing slowly and reduced consciousness.

👉Read the full drug alert here, including information about acquiring and administering naloxone (a medication that can reverse opioid overdose): https://ow.ly/Uac450Z3GTh

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The May VAADA Member News has just been released! A dedicated space for sharing sector voices, updates and initiatives f...
22/05/2026

The May VAADA Member News has just been released! A dedicated space for sharing sector voices, updates and initiatives from our members.

📣 In this month’s edition of the VAADA Member News, you’ll find…
🌟 Member Spotlight: Brendan Witt, Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation
📰 Member updates from: Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation, Windana, Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Victorian Pill Testing Service
📅Explore 68 Upcoming events and job opportunities via our live boards

View the April Member News 👉https://ow.ly/kre050Z30zX
Find out how to become a VAADA Member 👉https://ow.ly/LWAL50Z30zV

📬 Got something to share? If you’re a member and would like to feature in a future edition, get in touch with us at [email protected]

The program for the 2026 Victorian AOD Service Providers Conference is now live, bringing together leading voices from a...
22/05/2026

The program for the 2026 Victorian AOD Service Providers Conference is now live, bringing together leading voices from across the sector to explore this year’s theme: Shaping the Future of AOD: Culture Connection and Innovation. The program includes presentations form the following:

🔹Keynote Speaker: Victorian Department of Health Chief Psychiatrist of Victoria, A/Prof Sophie Adams, presenting on: Integrated AOD and Mental Health Care
🔹Sheree Lowe, Balit Durn Durn Centre, presenting on: Integrating SEWB in Mainstream Practice
🔹A/Prof Roisin Mcnaney, The University of Melbourne, presenting on: Artificial Intelligence in AOD and Social Services
🔹Prof Vic Manning, Turning Point presenting on: GHB: Treatment Guidelines Project

👉 View the full 2026 SPC program here: https://ow.ly/4H3W50Z2ZVE

🚩Have a ticket and can no longer attend? We have a waitlist, click here to find out how to cancel or transfer your ticket:” https://ow.ly/BEcn50Z2ZVF

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Https://maps. App. Goo. Gl/Jy3g7aussqhkmj 668
Melbourne, VIC
3067

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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