Alcohol & Other Drugs of Addiction

Program Purpose

The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Program is funded to increase the capacity of the Northern Sydney AOD treatment sector and achieve improved health and social outcomes for individuals, families, and communities affected by AOD use.

The program works collaboratively with local services including general practice, the ` Health District (NSLHD), services commissioned by SNHN to fill treatment gaps, and 

AOD Education Opportunities for GPs and clinicians

AOD Online Interactive Sessions (ECHO’s)

AOD online interactive sessions

See the Upcoming Events page on our website for more information.

  • Facilitated by Dr Esther Han, Addiction Specialist NSLHD
  • Held 2-monthly
  • Day Wednesday
  • Lunch Time 12.15pm – 1pm

GP Clinical Attachments with NSLHD Drug and Alcohol Service Addiction Specialists

Increase your addiction medicine skills via supervised clinical attachments with addiction medicine specialists and addiction psychiatrists.

Remuneration is available for completion of the training (maximum of 12 hours)

Clinics: Inpatient, Outpatient, and Opioid Treatment Program

Next Steps: complete the Expression of Interest form.

EOI: Clinical Attachments with the Local Health District Drug and Alcohol Service

Sydney North Health Network (SNPHN) is seeking expressions of interest from GPs who are interested in completing a Supervised Clinical Attachment with Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) Drug and Alcohol Service.

Venues:

  • Royal North Shore Hospital
  • Brookvale Community Health Centre

Clinics

  • Drug and Alcohol Outpatients – RNSH
  • Drug and Alcohol Inpatients (IDAS) – RNSH
  • Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) – RNSH and Brookvale Community Health Centre

Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs Guide

GP Guide to harm minimisation for patients using non-prescribed anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and other performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs)

This Guide provides GPs and other health professionals with up-to-date, evidence-informed guidance on how to manage and minimise harm for people who are contemplating, currently using or wanting to stop non-prescribed anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and other performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs).

The Guide is based on the best available evidence and draws upon an extensive literature review and the experience and knowledge of health professionals, researchers, and people who use non-prescribed AAS and other PIEDs.

Access the full Guide and the Quick Reference Guide here.

Local AOD Treatment Services

Adults

Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) Mental Health Drug & Alcohol Services

Royal North Shore, Brookvale Community Health Centre, Mona Vale Community Health Centre, Hornsby, Macquarie.

Odyssey House Residential, community, and multicultural programs for people aged 18+

Odyssey House – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People – Drug & Alcohol Counselling

ACON substance support

My Drink Check – A 5-minute self-assessment tool to see where you’re at with your drinking and to get an idea of what steps you might like to take next.

Hello Change – This is a free 6 session online CBT based self-completion program.

Hello Sunday Morning | Change Your Relationship with Alcohol

Youth

NSLHD Children and Young People Mental Health Drug & Alcohol Services Specialist mental health, drug and alcohol interventions are available for infants, children and young people. These services cater for young people who are aged 0-17 years, and 18 years old (if they are still in school).​

SDECC Sydney Drug Education and Counselling Service – 12 to 25 years. 91 Pittwater Road Manly, Ph 9977 0711.

Uniting Youth Enhanced Support Service (YESS): Northern Sydney Long-term clinical case management, psychological interventions, and access to psychiatry for young people aged 12-25 with, or at risk of severe and complex mental illness. Direct referrals can be made by contacting Uniting on 1800 937776 or by completing the YESS service provider referral form.  47 Hercules St, Chatswood, NSW 2067.

DAYSS – Drug & Alcohol Youth Support Services – A free and confidential service for 12–24-year-olds in the Northern Beaches region.

Headspace

People can self-refer to headspace, and direct referrals can also be made by GPs:

  • Chatswood Centre: 02 8021 3668
  • Brookvale Centre: 02 9937 6500

Outpost locations include

  • Avalon Youth Hub 59 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Recreation Centre. Call us on 0487 936 875
  • Mission Australia
    • Suite 405, Level 4, 44 Hampden Rd, Artarmon 2064. Ph 9480 2560
    • Level 1, 1 Coronation Street Hornsby, 2077. Ph 9480 2500
    • 174 – 176 Old Pittwater Rd Brookvale. Ph 9902 5100.

Psychological Services for Underserviced Groups

For any enquiries – please call Mental Health Triage on 1300 782 391or  send a completed Referral Form via secure fax on 02 8072 6899. GPs to also attach a Mental Health Treatment Plan and outcome measure.

Direct referrals can be made by contacting Uniting on 1800 937776 or by completing the YESS service provider referral form.

GPs or psychiatrists can also refer patients via Mental Health Triage.

For any enquiries – please call Mental Health Triage on 1300 782 391, alternatively please send a completed Referral Form via secure fax on 02 8072 6899. GPs to also attach a Mental Health Treatment Plan and outcome measure.

SDECC – AOD Intensive Support Program

Non-residential day rehabilitation, including individual counselling, care coordination, group programs and intensive outreach for people aged 12-25 years Services are available in Chatswood and Manly. To access the program call (02) 9977 0711.

Odyssey House community services

Non-residential rehabilitation for adults over 18 years old, including individual and group counselling, support to family members of people who have an addiction. Services available in Chatswood and Manly. To access the program call 1800 397 739.

Odyssey House community services

Non-residential day rehabilitation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults over 18 years old, including individual and group counselling, support to family members of people who have an addiction. Services available in Chatswood and Manly. To access the program call 1800 397 739.

ACON substance support counselling

Face-to-face in Surry Hills and remote access program (Skype or telephone) providing intensive, structured interventions within a harm reduction model to Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Intersex people with alcohol and other drug misuse issues. Up to 12 sessions with the ability to extend. To access the program call 1800 063 060.

Private Hospitals providing AOD and mental health services

South Pacific Private Hospital Curl Curl
Phone: 1800 063 332

Ramsay Clinic Northside St Leonards
Phone: 02 9433 3555

AOD Organisations

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Jacqui Emery

Jacqui is a passionate advocate for equity in healthcare and an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience across the not-for-profit, corporate, and media sectors.

Most recently, she served as CEO of Royal Far West, where she championed access to developmental, mental health, and allied health services for children in rural and remote communities. Her work has driven early intervention, education, and advocacy initiatives that have influenced policy and funding outcomes nationwide.

Jacqui’s deep commitment to creating opportunities for those who need them most aligns perfectly with SNHN’s vision:continuing to work collaboratively to help our community live their best health.

Ramon del Carmen

Ramon is a senior organisational leader with extensive experience in highly competitive and heavily regulated environments including banking and telecommunications as well as the not-for-profit health sector with over 12 years of CEO experience and 9 years of CFO experience. He combines innovation and strategic thinking with strong leadership to deliver results in challenging environments that are undergoing significant and time-critical change.

Ramon is currently a non-executive director and Treasurer of Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and held previous non-executive director positions with Your Side Australia and Primary and Community Care Services (PCCS).

Ramon has a Bachelor of Economics from The University of Sydney, an MBA and MA (Business Research) from Macquarie Graduate School of Management. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountant Australia and New Zealand, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Eugene McGarrell

Eugene has more than 45 years of experience in the health, social and wellbeing sectors across the UK and Australia, with roles in clinical, community development, management, and executive leadership. As CEO of Healthy Australia, he led initiatives like Safe, feedAustralia, and Thriving Together, which promoted children’s health and learning. He introduced innovative approaches in workers’ compensation, such as social prescribing, to prevent injuries and aid recovery.

A systems thinker, Eugene advocates for challenging convention and disrupting the status quo to address complex social problems. His career began as a mental health nurse, and he has worked across government and social services to tackle issues facing vulnerable communities. Notably, in 1998, he co-led a project in Kingston that reduced suicide rates by 40%.

Eugene co-designed The Collective NSW in 2013, bringing together community, government, and business to break the cycle of disadvantage, leading to successful initiatives like the Greenway Wellbeing Centre and SILC. He is dedicated to empowering communities to design their own solutions and improve health, social, and economic outcomes.

He holds a PG Dip in Care Policy and Management from London Guildhall University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sara Warburton

Sara is a skilled strategic leader with a wealth of experience in customer-centric leadership roles within the health and care sector. Her extensive career spans senior positions in business development, strategy, marketing communications, service innovation, and operational excellence across both the UK and Australia.

Sara has demonstrated her expertise in both for-profit and non-profit sectors, as well as within government contracts, where she has successfully driven organisational transformation programs and enhanced access and experience for patients and communities. Her dedication to excellence is further demonstrated by her volunteer roles, including serving as a Strategic Advisor to Frontline Yoga and most recently as Chief-of-Staff for a mental health startup.

Sara holds a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Business Management from Oxford Brookes University and has completed the MBA Essentials Course at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Additionally, she participated in the development of the McKinsey Not-For-Profit Executive Leadership Program and has informally studied behavioural economics and technology in healthcare.

Deb Pallavicini

Deborah’s general management responsibilities include teams working with and supporting primary healthcare providers across our region, including General Practitioners and Allied Health Professionals. Her strategic approach to role responsibilities provides solid direction for those teams engaged in quality improvement, chronic disease management, digital health, emergency response, improved service integration, corporate communications, and marketing. Deborah is also responsible for directing the Clinical Engagement team, ensuring our professional members’ capabilities are continually enhanced for delivering the right care to our local community at the right time and place.

With over 12 years of experience working as a Practice Manager in medium to large General Practices, Deborah has also worked with the Improvement Foundation (IF), taking part in the Australian Primary Care Collaboratives on two occasions. The experience she gained over this period has translated into a strong and practical understanding of the Primary Care environment and the importance of Quality Improvement for enhancing patient outcomes.

Deborah’s experience at SNHN is inclusive of involvement in the development and rollout of quality improvement programs inclusive of dementia management in general practice and broader chronic disease management programs; the COVID-19 response across the region’s primary care providers inclusive of RACFs, coupled with the later rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Deborah holds a Master’s in Health Management focusing on Quality and Safety in Healthcare and a Graduate Certificate in Health Science.