Overview

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Drug or alcohol dependence is a debilitating illness that touches people from every part of Australian society. The effects of long-term addiction are felt not only by the individual, but also by their children, their parents, their friends and indeed by society at large. The First Step Program is a pioneering not-for-profit organisation that is at the forefront of comprehensive, innovative and compassionate approaches to overcoming addiction.

First Step’s dedicated team of experienced addiction medicine professionals offers:

• Medical assessment and a range of medical interventions
• Mental health nursing
  
• Hepatitis C treatment programs

Equally important complimentary services include:

• Psychological counselling
• The Second Step Program (an employment program partnered by Toll Holdings)
  
• The First Step Legal Service
  

It is the coordinated combination of these services that makes the First Step model powerfully effective.

From our Patron, Rev Tim Costello

My involvement with the First Step Program began, with the establishment of the clinic in July 2000, as one of the clinic’s founding directors. First Step was created to meet a need for low-cost, effective treatment options, primarily for people using heroin, that would assist them to overcome their drug dependence. One person’s drug use can have an extraordinary ripple effect that takes in their immediate family, friends and the broader community. To improve the lives of people with a drug dependence and those around them the First Step was designed to combine traditional harm minimisation treatments with effective and innovative newer treatments.

At my current workplace, World Vision Australia, our vision is for every child to live life in all its fullness. The First Step Program similarly aims to provide the necessary support and treatment options, accessible to all, that enable those seeking the clinic’s assistance to live a life in all its fullness. In addition to a fervent belief in maintaining affordability, First Step is committed to treating all people with the respect and compassion they deserve, and working with them in engaging as fulfilled members of the community.