360Edge

Thinking about applying for DAP funding? With new DAP funding opportunities available, alcohol and other drug treatment services may be considering how they can put forward the strongest possible application. 360Edge has successfully supported organisations to develop funding applications and tenders, from shaping the initial approach and aligning it with funding priorities through to developing and writing the final submission. We can also work with services to design the activities you want to include in your application such as developing or redeveloping alcohol and other drug treatment programs and modules, models of care, workforce development initiatives, training and resources, or monitoring and evaluation frameworks. A strong application is about more than describing a good service. It needs to clearly communicate your vision, demonstrate why your proposed approach is needed, use solid data and evidence to support your case, and show how it will deliver what the funder is looking for. We explored this in our Writing a Winning Health Tender webinar, where Hepatitis ACT shares the story behind a successful tender that 360Edge helped develop. Hepatitis ACT's application not only secured the funding, but resulted in them receiving more funding than they had originally been allocated. 🎥 Watch the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/g3wNVyRt If you are thinking about applying for DAP funding and would like support with your application or with developing the activities that sit behind it, get in touch with the 360Edge team 📧 hello@360edge.com.au

On International Overdose Awareness Day, we remember the people we’ve lost and stand with families, friends and communities living with that grief. In Australia, overdose remains a leading cause of death for people who use alcohol and other drugs, despite decades of evidence about what saves lives. Harm reduction receives just 1.6% of Australia’s total drug budget despite overwhelming evidence that measures like take home naloxone, needle and syringe programs and supervised injecting services reduce deaths and keep people connected to care. Stigma and underinvestment come at a human cost. They increase risk, push people into isolation and delay help when it matters most. Australia’s National Drug Strategy is due for renewal this year. It’s an opportunity to realign policy with evidence, compassion and public health priorities. #internationaloverdoseawarenessday #overdose #aod #publichealth

Primary care is an integral part of an effective alcohol and other drug response. GPs, practice nurses, pharmacists and other health providers are often the first port of call for a range of alcohol and other drug related issues, like sleep problems, anxiety and depression. But primary care practitioners can be hesitant to respond to alcohol and other drug issues – having these conversations can feel complex, sensitive or outside their usual role. So what do better alcohol and other drug responses look like in everyday primary care? We’re working with North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) to develop 10 online learning modules for primary care practitioners to build confidence in responding to alcohol and other drugs, and make it easier to know what to say, what to do and where to refer. Through videos, scenarios and interactive activities, the modules will turn evidence into practical skills for real conversations and clinical settings. They’ll explore topics like reducing stigma, screening and brief interventions, culturally safe care, co-occurring conditions, stepped care and referral pathways. We’ve just wrapped up our collaborative design sessions with local practitioners and stakeholders, who are helping shape learning to reflect the real needs of the workforce and the communities they support. Once complete, the modules will be freely available to Victorian practitioners through North Western Melbourne PHN’s alcohol and other drug microsite. #primarycare #drugs #alcohol #aod #publichealth #primaryhealth

Not everyone injecting peptides thinks they use drugs. Many see peptides as part of a health, fitness or self improvement routine – for weight loss, muscle growth, injury recovery or healthy ageing. That means they may never disclose their use unless practitioners know what to ask. This week, ABC News reported that needle and syringe programs across Australia are experiencing a marked increase in demand from people injecting peptides, with some services warning the trend is placing pressure on supplies. This isn't just a new drug trend. It's changing who walks through our doors. For alcohol and other drug workers, relying on outdated stereotypes about performance and image enhancing drug use means we risk missing opportunities for screening, harm reduction and early intervention. Some peptide medicines are approved for use in Australia. However, many products promoted online are unregulated, with concerns about their contents, quality and safety. Our From Peptides to Steroids: Responding to performance and image enhancing drugs workshop equips practitioners with practical, evidence informed skills to identify, assess and respond to peptide and other performance and image enhancing drug use with confidence. 🎟️ Book your place: bit.ly/4oid4Q5 📖 Read the full blog: bit.ly/4chy8SP #peptides #steroids #drugs #PIEDs #harmreduction #health #publichealth #mentalhealth A/Prof Katinka van de Ven

‼️ Last chance to book Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention ‼️ With this interactive online workshop on Monday 10 August, you’ll learn how to… ➡️ Explain mindfulness in clear, everyday language ➡️ Respond to common misconceptions and barriers ➡️ Help people recognise triggers, urges and automatic reactions ➡️ Use practical strategies including SOBER space and urge surfing ➡️ Introduce practices with permission, choice and attention to trauma ➡️ Adapt mindfulness based relapse prevention for individual client work And the best part? If you book your team, you’ll save $100 per person! Book before registrations close: https://bit.ly/49iVmr8 #mindfulness #mbrp #relapseprevention #alcoholandotherdrugs #aod Dr Nicole Lee

Australia has the tools to prevent and treat viral hepatitis. Yet nearly 1,000 people still die from hepatitis B and hepatitis C each year. Almost 300,000 people in Australia are living with these viruses, and many don’t even know it. For the alcohol and other drug sector, the way forward is practical. Needle and syringe programs reduce transmission. Opioid agonist treatment, accessible testing and culturally safe services help people stay connected to prevention, treatment and care. Hepatitis C can be cured and hepatitis B can be managed effectively. The barrier is not a lack of evidence. It’s what happens when stigma, discrimination and fragmented systems make care harder to reach. World Hepatitis Day is a reminder that elimination will depend on how services are designed. Testing needs to be easy, treatment needs to be accessible and care needs to feel safe enough for people to return. When we invest in compassionate, evidence based alcohol and other drug services, we prevent illness, save lives and build a system that reaches people earlier. #worldhepatitisday #viralhepatitis #harmreduction #alcoholandotherdrugs #publichealth

NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate the strength, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It’s an important moment for the alcohol and other drug sector to reflect on what works. Aboriginal approaches to healing and recovery are grounded in culture, connection to Country, family and community. Evidence consistently shows that Aboriginal community controlled alcohol and other drug services achieve stronger engagement and better outcomes for First Nations people compared to western approaches. When people feel culturally safe, respected and understood, they’re more likely to stay connected to care and experience lasting change. Celebrating culture and investing in self determination strengthens public health and supports healthier futures for individuals, families and communities. #NAIDOC #NAIDOCWeek #aod #publichealth

Women who had received specialist alcohol and other drug treatment were more likely than men to die earlier than expected. That is one of the findings from the recent AIHW mortality data, and it should prompt a closer look at how alcohol and other drug treatment is designed for women. For many women, alcohol and other drug treatment doesn't sit in isolation. It can sit alongside trauma, caring responsibilities, family violence, mental health issues, physical health needs, stigma and practical barriers to support. So this is not only about whether women enter treatment. It’s also about how they experience care, how risk is recognised and what helps them stay connected after they leave. A gender responsive alcohol and other drug system means designing services around real patterns of access, risk, safety, continuity and trust. That includes stronger pathways between alcohol and other drug treatment, mental health care, primary care, family violence services, housing and post treatment support. It also means paying closer attention to what happens before treatment starts and after an episode of care ends. The AIHW data gives the sector a clearer view of mortality risk. The next step is turning that view into better service design. https://bit.ly/4oXI4WP #alcoholandotherdrugs #womenshealth #healthequity #publichealth #servicedesign Dr Nicole Lee

PTSD Awareness Day is a chance to pause and think about what safe, skilled and compassionate responses really look like. For many people in alcohol and other drug treatment, trauma isn’t separate from the work. It can shape how someone builds trust, manages distress, responds to boundaries, remembers information and stays connected to care. Good trauma practice isn’t about pushing for disclosure. It’s about noticing what is happening in the here and now, responding with care and making treatment feel safer, steadier and more possible. Our Trauma Inside Out: A two day masterclass is designed for practitioners who want to deepen their confidence in this work. Across two days, you will explore how to understand and respond to trauma in AOD work, integrate trauma into screening, assessment and treatment, respond sensitively to disclosure and develop stronger case conceptualisation and treatment planning. It’s on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 December. Book your place now and save $145 with early bird pricing: bit.ly/3JCh8M2 #ptsdawarenessday #ptsd #trauma #traumainformedpractice #aod

When you hear the word overdose, who do you picture? For many people, it’s a young person at a music festival or someone using heroin. But the latest data tells a different story. For the first time in a decade, Australians aged 50–59 account for the largest proportion of unintentional drug induced deaths. Most overdose deaths now occur in middle and older age. The reasons are complex. It’s not simply that older people are using more illicit drugs. Prescription opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol, multiple medications, chronic health conditions, ageing bodies, stigma and missed opportunities for screening all play a role. One of the challenges is that overdose doesn’t always look like what we expect. Many people at risk may never identify with traditional drug treatment services and health professionals may not think to ask. If we want to prevent overdose deaths, we need to rethink who is at risk and move beyond outdated stereotypes. Drug related harm doesn’t disappear with age. It often just changes shape. Dr Nicole Lee and I explore what is driving this trend in our latest article for The Conversation Australia + NZ: https://lnkd.in/givu6RUP #drugs #alcohol #harmreduction #health #publichealth #mentalhealth #wellbeing