This is a 45 minute Turning Point Connect & Learn webinar. To attend the webinar, click the link below to register.
Description:
Dr. Daniel Pham is an addiction psychiatrist at Turning Point, currently working across its Statewide Services in Richmond and Turning Point Eastern Treatment Services in Box Hill. His area of interest includes the treatment of persons with co-occurring addictive and mental disorders, including pharmacological, psychological, and social intervention modalities. This webinar will explore a broad look at the different approaches to the prescribing, deprescribing and management of benzodiazepines in the addictions/AOD context.
Date: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45PM
Cost: Online – A link will be sent to you before the webinar
Who should attend: This webinar is only available to staff who are working in a Victorian Department of Health (DH) funded AOD organisation.
Registration: Click here to register
Date: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Time: 9.30AM – 4:30PM
Location: In person at Orygen – Parkville VIC 3052
*catering will be provided
Description:
Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, with a typical onset before 12 years of age. It can significantly impact a young person’s participation in life, school and community. ADHD can increase the risk of harmful substance use, and AOD dependence, particularly if someone’s ADHD has been undiagnosed or not treated.
This training is designed for AOD workers who want to deepen their understanding of ADHD, and build confidence in responding to co-occurring substance use.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the core symptoms, subtypes, and developmental course of ADHD in young people.
- Understand the prevalence and patterns of co-occurring ADHD and substance use problems among young people
- Describe the role of medication in treating ADHD and the evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness in individuals with co-occurring substance use.
- Apply evidence-based psychological and behavioral interventions for ADHD and co-occurring substance use
Eligibility Criteria
This training is open to people working in AOD-specific roles in publicly funded services (i.e. AOD, mental health locals).
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships, workers outside of Victoria, workers not in an AOD-specific role.
Terms & Conditions
Please cancel your registration at least 24 hours before and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
Would you like to learn more about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in an AOD service context?
Do you want to build your confidence in working with people who have been diagnosed or have possible FASD?
Join us for this practice-focused webinar which gives participants a taste of our comprehensive FASD Informed Practice for the Australian Alcohol and Other Drug Workforce online course.
Participants will learn the basics of:
- what is FASD
- how FASD presents in an AOD setting
- FASD screening, adapting your practice and connecting with external supports
This workshop will include a Q&A with experts and is ideal for frontline workers in the AOD and intersecting sectors.
Event details:
Date/Time: Thursday, 26 February @ 1:00PM – 2:00PM
Location: Online
Register here
This online skill building workshop is facilitated by the Australian Alcohol & Other Drugs Council and National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
*To enrol, change ‘Enrol Now’ to ‘I’m Going’. Check if you’ve enrolled correctly under ‘My Courses’
Date: Thursday, 16 April 2026 9:30AM – 4:30PM
Location: Online
Description:
Alcohol and other drugs can affect the brain in both consistent and idiosyncratic ways. Up to 70% of people in alcohol and other drug treatment have significant temporary or long term cognitive impairment related to drug use, lifestyle or other factors.
In this workshop, learn about how different parts of the brain can be affected by drug use and how this may impact functioning. You will gain a thorough understanding of how the brain works, the functional impact of drugs and the effects on treatment.
Learning outcomes:
- Understand how alcohol and other drugs affect the brain in the short and longer term
- Gain skills in assessment of functional impairment and daily functioning
- Adapt treatment to improve outcomes for clients who have cognitive impairments
Suitable for new, experienced and advanced practitioners and workers in low threshold and clinical settings.
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
No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
Date: Thursday, 12 February 2026
Time: 9.30AM – 4:30PM
Location: Online
Description:
Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, with a typical onset before 12 years of age. It can significantly impact a young person’s participation in life, school and community. ADHD can increase the risk of harmful substance use, and AOD dependence, particularly if someone’s ADHD has been undiagnosed or not treated.
This training is designed for AOD workers who want to deepen their understanding of ADHD, and build confidence in responding to co-occurring substance use.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the core symptoms, subtypes, and developmental course of ADHD in young people.
- Understand the prevalence and patterns of co-occurring ADHD and substance use problems among young people
- Describe the role of medication in treating ADHD and the evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness in individuals with co-occurring substance use.
- Apply evidence-based psychological and behavioral interventions for ADHD and co-occurring substance use
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 cancel your registration at least 24 hours before and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
This is a one-hour Turning Point Connect & Learn webinar. To attend the webinar, click the link below to register.
Description: Professor Edward Ogden PSM will delve into the impacts of alcohol and other drugs on road safety. Drawing from decades of research to explore how substances impair cognition, reaction times and decision-making. Key topics will include the nature of the driving task, the pharmacology of impairment and the role of addiction specialists in driver assessment.
Date: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Time: 1:00pM – 1:45PM
Location: Zoom
Cost: Free
Who should attend: This webinar is only available to staff who are working in a Victorian Department of Health (DH) funded AOD organisation.
Registration: Click here to register
This is a 1-day in person training.
Description: Working with cognitively impaired clients can be a significant challenge, particularly when access to assessment services and resources are limited. Cognitive difficulties may arise from a range of aetiologies including acquired brain injury, mental health, substance use, or neurodevelopmental differences and together, this can have a cumulative and adverse impact on treatment outcomes and recovery. This workshop will provide practical strategies for working with clients who present with or have concerns regarding cognitive difficulties. In particular, this workshop will cover four main themes:
- Recognising cognitive impairment
- Underlying aetiologies across the lifespan
- Supporting clients with cognitive impairment
- Referral pathways: When might assessment be indicated?
Date: Friday, 28th November 2025
Time: 9:30pM – 4:30PM
Location: Turning Point, 110 Church Street, Richmond, VIC 3121
Cost: Free
Who should attend: AOD clinicians, counsellors, support workers and allied health working in a Victorian Department of Health funded AOD organisation.
Registration: Click here to register
This is a Turning Point Connect & Learn one-hour webinar. To attend the webinar, click the link below to register.
Description: According to WHO, hepatitis C is the main cause death globally in people who inject drugs, yet it is easy to diagnose and treat. Australia has the potential to eliminate hepatitis C, but this requires a concerted effort to diagnose and treat HCV in PWID, not just those who have injected in the past but those who are continuing to inject drugs. While diagnostic and treatment pathways for HCV are simple, adapting them to the needs of our clients, rather than expecting our clients to adapt to our treatment systems, is the key to increasing the rates of diagnosis and treatment. This has implications for both the way we design our health care systems and the way we manage individuals within those systems. The webinar will be presented by A/Prof Nico Clark.
Date: Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Time: 1:00pM – 1:45PM
Location: Zoom
Cost: Free
Who should attend: This webinar is only available to staff who are working in a Victorian Department of Health (DH) funded AOD organisation.
Registration: Click here to register
This is a one-hour Turning Point Connect & Learn webinar. To attend the webinar, click the link below to register.
Description: This presentation provides a brief overview of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders and introduces key principles for working effectively with clients experiencing this. The presentation will aim to improve knowledge about the prevalence of comorbid mental health and substance use disorders, their relationship and impact on recovery. Dr Lea Foo and David Hill will provide tools and strategies to support addressing comorbid mental health conditions in the AOD space.
Date: Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Time: 1:00pM – 1:45PM
Location: Zoom
Cost: Free
Who should attend: This webinar is only available to staff who are working in a Victorian Department of Health (DH) funded AOD organisation.
Registration: Click here to register
Dates:
Day 1: Monday 19th May 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Day 2: Monday 26th May 2025 @ 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Location: Online
Description:
Co-occurring mental health issues are the norm rather than the exception among people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment. Across this 2-day workshop you will learn how to adapt and expand your existing alcohol and other drug treatment skills to assist your clients with managing mental health symptoms.
Deepen your understanding of co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues and build your knowledge, confidence and skills to better understand clients’ needs, respond effectively, and adapt treatment. Find out what you need to know about the different co-occurring conditions you may encounter and how to effectively incorporate best practice responses into your treatment.
Key learning outcomes:
- Recognise and understand the common mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment
- Undertake a thorough assessment and develop an integrated case formulation to guide your practice
- Apply a range of alcohol and other drug treatment skills to working with clients with co-occurring mental health conditions
- Learn how to respond therapeutically and effectively within the bounds of the alcohol and other drug treatment setting
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 and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
