Provider: AOD Intake & Comprehensive Assessment

Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Skill Set

Eligibility

The AOD Skillset offered under Elevate is fully funded by the Department of Health (limited spaces).  To be eligible, you must work within the Victorian AOD Sector in a State-funded AOD service.

Course Snapshot

The Skill Set will be delivered by Odyssey Institute (RTO 20995).

  • Nationally recognised qualification
  • Course start date: 25th September 2025
  • Course duration: 6 months
  • Recommended weekly study commitment:  8 – 10 hours

About the Skill Set

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set provides valuable skills and AOD-specific capabilities for providing services to clients with AOD issues. Lessons include: understanding the AOD sector, legal and ethical considerations, assessing clients, developing treatment plans, and providing interventions using skills in MI and CBT. This skill set is viewed as the minimum qualification for working in the Victorian AOD sector. Resources, tools and templates used in Odyssey courses are recognised and accepted by the Victoria AOD sector as industry standards including clinical guidelines, and comprehensive AOD Client assessments.

AOD Skill Set Competencies

  • CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
  • CHCAOD006 Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues
  • CHCAOD004 Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues
  • CHOAOD009 Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

Delivery format

Odyssey offers students opportunities to access a combination of delivery modes to meets their needs. Delivery modes include optional participation via flexible and blended online delivery that features:

  • Anytime-anywhere access to online learning and assessment resources;
  • Trainer led web-conferenced workshops and tutorials/catch up sessions (recordings available after hours) – minimum attendance and engagement is required;
  • Skills Practice and Observational assessment days held on site at Footscray or via web conferencing; and
  • Student led study groups with encouragement to form communities of practice for participants for learning from and with others

Assessment

Odyssey’s courses are assessed using a variety of assessment methods, including question banks, other written tasks, case study analysis and observation of simulated role plays.

Enrolment process

Please ensure you have approval from your manager before enrolling.

Click here to enrol into the course directly with Odyssey Institute. The team will contact you directly to confirm your enrolment.

Enrolment to Elevate only does not guarantee enrolment into the course. Contact elevate@vaada.org.au if you have any questions.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills (online)

Dates:

Day one: Thursday, 4 December 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Thursday, 11 December 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including those who are new to the AOD sector or recently employed under the COVID-19 Workforce Initiative and Peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills (online)

Dates:

Day one: Thursday, 4 December 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Thursday, 11 December 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including those who are new to the AOD sector or recently employed under the COVID-19 Workforce Initiative and Peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills (trainees)

Dates:

Day one: Tuesday, 5 August 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Tuesday, 12 August 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed under the AOD Traineeship Program.

Who is not eligible?

Anyone not employed under the AOD Traineeship Program, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, non-supervisors and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills (trainees)

Dates:

Day one: Tuesday, 5 August 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Tuesday, 12 August 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed under the AOD Traineeship Program.

Who is not eligible?

Anyone not employed under the AOD Traineeship Program, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, non-supervisors and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills (online)

Dates:

Day one: Thursday, 16 October 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Thursday, 23 October 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including those who are new to the AOD sector or recently employed under the COVID-19 Workforce Initiative and Peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills (online)

Dates:

Day one: Thursday, 16 October 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Thursday, 23 October 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including those who are new to the AOD sector or recently employed under the COVID-19 Workforce Initiative and Peer workers.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills

Unfortunately, our waitlist is now at capacity.

Dates:

Day one: Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

Motivational Interviewing Foundational Skills

Unfortunately, our waitlist is now at capacity.

Dates:

Day one: Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM*

Day two: Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 9:00 – 4:30 PM

*Download both days to your calendar.  Bookings can only be made from day one of training.

Location: Online (Link will be sent to you closer to the training date)

Description

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative method for guiding conversations about change. More than a set of techniques, MI is a discipline in its own right that brings together a set of values, principles and disciplined use of skills to assist people in resolving ambivalence and deepen motivation to pursue meaningful changes for them.

While the skills take time and practice, the conversation style is gentle, and curious and comes from a place of faith in the other person. The hope is that, together, we may discover what is meaningful for this person and what choices would work best for them, knowing who they are and what they want deep down for their future. MI asks us to be mindful of the way our own hopes and assumptions can interfere in the process as much as they can help and create a space of genuine enquiry and deepening understanding.

Rather than replace other approaches, MI can enhance and deepen the full range of interventions we use by bringing a more acute awareness to the how and when of conversation rather than just what we talk about.

The training is highly interactive, with a focus on practical skill development. The two-day workshop will offer an opportunity to:

  • Gain a clear and up-to-date understanding of MI – what it is, how it works and recent changes to the framework
  • Increase understanding of the change process
  • Review and practice the core skills
  • Apply the skills to the change process
  • Increase ability to work effectively with resistance and ambivalence
  • Practice skills in softening sustained talk and eliciting change talk
  • Develop strategies to continue learning and practising MI.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service.

Who is not eligible?

Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.

Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.

No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.

CHCSS00093 Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Skillset

Turning Point (RTO 6948) has been contracted by the Department of Health (DH Victoria) to deliver competency training and assessment opportunities to the Victorian AOD workforce.
This training targets employees currently in the AOD sector and employed in DH-funded AOD Services. Turning Point staff delivering the AOD competencies have clinical experience and meet the training and assessment requirements outlined in the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF).

Selection Criteria:

To enrol in the CHCSS00093 AOD Skill Set you must work in a publically funded organisation in the Victorian AOD sector.

Who is not eligible?

  • Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as Family Violence, Homelessness and Mental Health and AOD workers outside of Victoria.
  • People who have partially completed the skillset

Please ensure you have clearance to attend from your line manager before enrolling.

Do not enrol if you cannot guarantee you can complete this course.  If you change your mind, cancel your registration immediately to make room for someone else.

 

Enrolment Process

  • Enrolment is by Expression of Interest (EOI) only and includes all four units of competency.  Applicants must be currently employed in Victorian DH-funded services to be eligible to apply for this training. This is an expression of interest only, and you must be available to attend all mandatory virtual classes advertised for all units of competency. These four (4) units of competency are part of the AOD Skill Set
  • You will be notified via email if you have been successful in securing a place and you will be required to accept your offer by a due date, as demand for this skill set is high and there are limited places
  • To begin the EOI process click ENROL NOW at the bottom of this page and then on the BEGIN EOI button.  You must complete the EOI to be considered for this course.  Enrolment in Elevate only does not guarantee your place

 

Course outline

 

CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drug context

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish and work within the current context, philosophy and values of the AOD sector.

This unit applies to workers who work with clients affected by alcohol and other drugs.

 

Online and virtual classes:

Online Learning Management System (LMS): opens Monday 29 January 2024 – Friday 22 March 2024.

Mandatory virtual classes from 9.30am – 1:00pm on the 8, 15, 29 February 2024

 

CHCAOD004 Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and conduct assessments of AOD clients to determine eligibility, service requirements and referral needs. This includes knowledge of factors affecting assessment for a range of different client groups, including different genders, youth, older people, mandated and voluntary clients, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

This unit applies to people who assess clients with AOD issues using established organisation or jurisdictional AOD assessment tools.

 

Online and virtual classes:

Online LMS: opens  Monday 22 April 2024 –  Friday 21 June 2024

Mandatory virtual classes 9.30am – 1:00pm on the 2, 9, 16 May 2024

 

CHCAOD009 Develop and review individual alcohol and other drug treatment plans

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively with clients to establish treatment goals and to develop and evaluate individual treatment plans to meet those goals.

The purpose of the training is to enable participants to develop treatment plans with and for clients with AOD issues on the basis of an existing assessment and within established organisation guidelines.

 

Online and virtual classes:

Online LMS: opens Monday, 15 July 2024 – Friday 6 September 2024.

Mandatory virtual classes 9.30am – 1.00pm on the 25 July & 8 and 22 August 2024.

 

CHCAOD006 Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drug issues

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to confirm, conduct and monitor evidence-based intervention strategies to address alcohol and other drug issues. This unit includes applying standard processes and procedures to effectively manage tasks and contingencies required in the context of the work role.

The purpose of the training is to enable participants to develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to prepare clients for interventions and deliver those interventions under supervision within the scope of an established individual treatment plan.

 

Online and virtual classes:

Online LMS: opens Monday 7 October 2024 – Friday 29 November 2024.

Mandatory virtual classes 9.30am – 1:00pm on the 16, 23 October and 6 November 2024.

All units of competency are assessed, and you will be required to complete assessment tasks.

 

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