Bendigo Community Health Services - Alcohol and other drugs care

We offer residential and home-based withdrawal support programs.

Residential withdrawal support service (Nova House)

Nova House is a five-bed adult residential support facility for people undertaking alcohol and or drug withdrawal. The program is open to individuals 21 years and over who live in Victoria. An assessment process is required to ensure people are suited for Nova House.

Non-residential withdrawal support service (home-based)

You may be eligible for our non-residential withdrawal program.

Our staff will assess you to see if you are suitable for the non-residential withdrawal program.

This program is provided by an experienced alcohol and drug nurse who works with your own doctor (if you do not have your own doctor, we may arrange a suitable qualified person for you).

The program will help you undertake withdrawal from alcohol and or other drugs within an outreach setting such as your home as long as it’s safe and there is someone to support you, a hospital (by arrangement) or as an outpatient visiting our AOD nurse at our Bendigo, Eaglehawk or Kangaroo Flat sites.

Our service delivers alcohol and drug counselling in a one-to-one, group or family format to best suit your needs.

Our harm minimisation focus includes a Pharmacotherapy Service and Needle Syringe Program.

How do I access your alcohol and other drugs services?

You can access our withdrawal programs in two ways.

1. You can contact the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO) consumer intake assessment line on 5445 1600 from 9am to 5pm each Monday to Friday and ask to be sent to Bendigo Community Health Services.
2. You can be referred by your doctor or other health worker.

How much does it cost?

Our alcohol and other drug services are free. 

How do I access your Needle Syringe Program (NSP)?

Our Needle Syringe Program offers confidential access to clean injecting equipment, condoms and dams, health information, education, support and referrals to health and welfare services. The NSP program is available during business hours at our Bendigo Central site at 165-171 Hargreaves Street, Eaglehawk site at 3 Seymoure Street and Kangaroo Flat site at 19 Helm Street. To access the program after business hours call 1800 636 514 from Tuesday to Saturday between 7.30pm and 10.45pm. Find out more about our Needle Syringe Program

Do you offer Naloxone or Nyxoid nasal spray?

We can provide you with a free Naloxone (injectable) or Nyxoid (nasal spray) script and show you how to administer the medicines safely.

Be aware that anyone who uses opiates and opiate-based medication is at risk of overdose.

This includes pharmaceutical opiate medications like Oxycontin and Methadone.

Naloxone and Nyxoid is used in hospitals and by paramedics to ‘reverse’ the effects of an opiate overdose and can mean the difference between life and death.

There are no side effects or risks to using Naloxone or Nyxoid.

If you think there is even the slightest chance that you or someone you care about is at risk of overdose, please contact the mobile drug safety worker at BCHS.

The Naloxone or Nyxoid script and short training session is free.

What should I do if I find a used syringe in a public space?

Please contact the City of Greater Bendigo on 5434 6000 for safe removal.

Can you support me if a member of my family or friend has a drug issue?

Our Family Drug Support program will help you care for a family member or friend with a drug issue.

We will work with you and other family members to help you feel more empowered to support your loved one or friend.

We will focus on:

• Reducing stigma around substance use.
• Referral pathways to health professionals.
• Counselling sessions with a focus on mediation, conflict resolution and boundary settings.

We can provide brief intervention in single sessions or ongoing counselling.

If you have a loved one, family member or friend struggling with addiction and would benefit from learning how to support them better, please call our Family Drug Support counsellor on (03) 5406 1200. You can learn more about the programs and services we run that provide alcohol and other drugs support at www.bchs.com.au

What is a Pharmacotherapy Service?

The Pharmacotherapy Service is a specialist clinical service that supports clients to access Pharmacotherapy treatment (Buprenorphine and Methadone). The program provides assessment, support, information and co-ordinated care for people requiring alternate pharmacotherapy for the treatment of opiate dependence. This service operates between 9am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday at our Kangaroo Flat site at 13 Helm Street.

People with opiate addiction from drugs such as heroin, prescribed medications like oxycontin, morphine and codeine can be treated with what we call opiate replacement therapy (ORT) (Buprenorphine and Methadone).

Find out more about our pharmacotherapy service.https://www.bchs.com.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs