Turning Point Addiction Treatment, Research and Education

It was such a pleasure to work with the team at Turning Point Addiction Treatment, Research and Education last week. The team in charge of the Addictive Behaviours Graduate Program came together and completed my Trusting Teams workshop. Thank you to Kirsten Schliephake SFHEA for organising and for your unwavering passion and commitment to the work you do. To check out more about what this inspiring team do go to https://lnkd.in/gRmZjMPB

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has issued a position statement on achieving a health-focused approach to drug policy in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Penington Institute commends the RACP for recommending a suite of evidence-based health policy interventions including increasing funding for evidence-based harm reduction measures and establishing national overdose surveillance capabilities in Australia and New Zealand. The RACP have also called for governments to establish trials of regulated access to cannabis for adults. We thank the RACP for their commitment to evidence-based policymaking and hope this official Position Statement will encourage others to consider the public health, criminal justice, and economic benefits that a regulated cannabis market would create for all Australians. Read and share the Position Statement: https://lnkd.in/gDrgYuyP National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Turning Point Addiction Treatment, Research and Education Australian Lawyers Alliance NSW Bar Association National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use Burnet Institute

We’re thrilled to share that Benn Veenker, Manager of our Lived Experience Workforce and Advocacy, has been recognised with the 2024 A2i Award for Partnering in Care. This award celebrates individuals who build strong relationships with patients and colleagues, valuing the wisdom and insights of lived experience to inspire meaningful change. Benn’s dedication to supporting and empowering his team exemplifies this perfectly. From championing professional development to fostering connection through his passion for initiatives like Run into Recovery, Benn demonstrates the power of learning from lived experience and breaking down stigma. Congratulations, Benn, on this well-deserved recognition! Your work continues to inspire us all 🎉

We have now seen a number of cases where falsified oxycodone contains nitazenes or other potent opioids, in Australia and overseas. If you are buying pharmaceutical opioids online, please try to access drug checking services and have #naloxone available (and know how to use it). Getting pharmaceutical drugs from Australian pharmacies will always be the safest option.

Turning Point is pleased to announce that we have been awarded funding from HCF Australia Foundation in the 2024 Health Services Research scheme. Co-led by Turning Point and #MonashUniversity Early Career Researchers Dr Ari Roxburgh and Dr Annette Peart, the project will test a new tool that helps Alcohol and Other Drug (#AOD) #peer workers support people to build vital resources – including personal, social, and community-based resources – that will help them achieve and sustain recovery from #addiction. The project’s co-investigators are Professor Dr Victoria Manning, Professor Dan Lubman AM, Dr Michael Savic and Professor David Best, and has been developed with the invaluable support of Turning Point’s Manager of Lived Experience Workforce and Advocacy Benn Veenker and Research Assistant Lauren Findlay. The whole team is excited to have the opportunity to build evidence for the critical work that peer workers do in inspiring and strengthening recovery pathways. We are grateful to HCF for supporting this important work! Read more: https://lnkd.in/gsxDAnjw

Turning Point’s Research Roundup newsletter is out now! In this edition:  ✔️ Turning Point contributes to a new chapter on Digital Health Approaches for Addiction in the Oxford Handbook of Addiction Medicine.  ✔️ The latest findings in the Health4Her project were showcased at the European Society of Breast Imaging Congress. ✔️ Researchers are investigating the unique dynamics of drinking cultures among nurses and midwives. Click below for these stories, plus our latest publications, research participation opportunities, and more!

Monash Addiction Research Centre's Deputy Director, Professor Suzanne Nielsen, recently spoke with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) about the progress and challenges associated with naloxone accessibility in Australia. With naloxone availability increasing across community pharmacies in recent years, Prof. Nielsen reflected that while "a number of positive steps have been taken... we're not finished in the job of disseminating naloxone information yet." Read the story here: https://lnkd.in/gFtZsWHT

Victoria’s first pill testing site launches at Beyond The Valley, marking a historic step in harm reduction as the first of ten festivals to provide confidential pill testing under the new program. Using world-class technology, the service will analyse substances and offer health advice, empowering festivalgoers to make safer, informed decisions. This trial isn’t about deciding if pill testing works – it’s about understanding the best way to implement it and protect lives. Find out more about this harm reduction milestone: https://lnkd.in/g9hjc6d9

Monash Addiction Research Centre's Deputy Director, Professor Suzanne Nielsen, has appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to discuss the takeaways and implications of the latest national wastewater drug monitoring program report. Prof Nielsen said such data, along with other local and national data sources, can provide a high-level picture of community substance use and drug harm trends, helping to identify where action may be needed to reduce drug harms. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gK6TkcHy

This morning, we had the opportunity to show two Victorian MPs around Turning Point & Eastern Health clinical sites in Box Hill. Thanks to Ingrid Stitt MP, Victoria’s Minister for Mental Health, and Sonja Terpstra, Upper House MP representing the North Eastern Metro region, for visiting us.   First, the pair visited 1 East, an 8-bed withdrawal support unit inside Box Hill Hospital offering holistic detox that integrates mental health care and other wellbeing considerations. And second, they visited Wellington House, a 12-bed community withdrawal unit providing extended support. These medically managed inpatient withdrawal and stabilisation facilities play a vital role in treating addiction alongside a host of other health conditions within the Eastern Health treatment network. Our thanks also to Eastern Health Board Chair Tass Mousaferiadis FAICD, CEO David Plunkett and Executive Director Toni Gutschlag, who joined several of our leaders and staff. Dan Lubman AM Denis Hovic Julie Blacker