Alcohol and other drug services are essential and will be maintained during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic wherever possible.  

WANADA provides updates, information and resources for the alcohol and other drug sector and the community here.

Alcohol and other Drug Support and Information

If you are in Western Australia and you need support or information in relation to alcohol and other drug-related issues, please contact the Alcohol and Drug Support Service on (08) 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 (free for country callers). The service is free, confidential and available 24/7.

If English is not your first language, you can get free translation support through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) by phoning 131 450.

WANADA and the Alcohol and other Drug Sector Response to COVID-19

WANADA has worked with the alcohol and other drug sector to produce resources and tools that will support responses to the pandemic. These include:

• document Resources and Considerations for Alcohol and Other Drug Services: Risk Management and Response Planning for COVID-19 (as at 29 June 2020) (85 KB)  - WANADA
• document COVID-19 Capacity Self-Assessment Tool for the Alcohol and other Drug Sector (24 KB) - WANADA
• pdf Western Australian Alcohol and other Drug Service Sector: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Sector Response (931 KB) - WANADA - September 2020
• pdf Alcohol and Other Drug Sector Support Needs to Respond to COVID-19 - Version 1, 3 April 2020 (118 KB) - WANADA
• pdf Alcohol and Other Drug Sector Support Needs to Respond to COVID-19 - Version 2, 13 April 2020 (121 KB) - WANADA
• pdf COVID-19 - Issues and suggestions raised by Aboriginal Alcohol and Other Drug Workers – Version 1, 17 April 2020 (183 KB) - WANADA

Alcohol and other Drug Sector Updates

• UN Statement on the protection of people who use drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic - UN Human Rights - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS) - this new free telephone service from the Mental Health Commission provides specialist advice and support, including appropriate substance detoxification advice and community treatment referral guidance, to all WA health professionals.
• document Transitioning to Telephone Counselling Interventions Online Training Event (20 KB) - Mental Health Commission
• pdf Needle and Syringe Postal Services Flyer (478 KB) - WA Department of Health with Hepatitis WA, Peer Based Harm Reduction WA and the WA AIDS Council
• COVID-19 Harm Reduction and General Information Flyers for Consumers - Peer Based Harm Reduction WA
• Coronavirus Information Fact Sheet for Consumers - Penington Institute
• pdf Second Open Letter to Australian Governments Regarding Prisons and COVID-19 (225 KB)

Please visit Tools for Alcohol and other Drug Workers, Workforce Development, Conferences, and Grants and Funding on the WANADA website for other COVID-19 related resources and updates, including training and changes to events, and resources to support wellbeing.

WA Government Announcements and Resources

Please visit Western Australian Government Media Statements for the latest State Government announcements, or visit wa.gov.au. WA Government communications that may be relevant to the alcohol and other drug sector include:

• COVID-19 update: personal protective equipment for community services staff - Funding and Contracting Services (FaCS), 13 May 2020
• pdf Practice Guidance: COVID-19 impacting on children in care and people with a disability (154 KB) - Department of Communities
• pdf Procedural update: Public housing and Government Regional Officers’ Housing (GROH) - COVID-19 (89 KB) - Department of Communities
• COVID Safety Plans key to reopening WA businesses - WA Government, 11 May 2020
• COVID-19 support for local GPs, general practice staff and other primary health care providers working on the frontline across Western Australia - Practice Assist, WAPHA
• COVID-19 Family and Domestic Violence Communique Summary update - Department of Communities, 7 May 2020
• pdf Community Sector Partnerships Info #1 (144 KB)  - Department of Communities
• pdf Communities Sector Partnerships Relationships Map (57 KB)  - Department of Communities
• Remote Aboriginal Communities Directions - Western Australian Government

COVID-19 Health Information for Western Australians

• pdf Mental Health Infection Control Directions - Guidelines - Communique – updated 14 April 2020 (308 KB) - WA Department of Health
• Coping with coronavirus (COVID-19) - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
• COVID-19 and Alcohol and other drug use FAQ - Alcohol and Other Drug Consumer & Community Coalition (AODCCC)
• pdf COVID-19 - Mental Health Infection Control (308 KB) - WA Department of Health
• pdf Think Mental Health WA - COVID-19 Social Isolation Flyer (880 KB)  - A5 for the web.
• pdf Think Mental Health WA - COVID-19 and Isolation Flyer (875 KB) - A5 for print.
• pdf COVID-19 Bulk Billed Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Telehealth Services - Mental Health (216 KB) - Australian Government
• COVID-19 - Information for people living with viral hepatitis - World Hepatitis Alliance
• COVID-19 factsheets for people with Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C - Hepatitis NSW
• COVID-19 Health Information Line - 1800 020 080 - for advice.
• Healthy WA - for more information about COVID-19 and WA clinics.
• COVID-19 Clinics - information on how and where to access clinics in WA.
• Coronavirus Health Alert - Australian Government Department of Health
• NACCHO – National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates and information
• Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus - Beyond Blue
• 1800RESPECT - it’s critical during periods of social distancing that those impacted by domestic and family violence know that support is available.

WANADA Operations and Contact Information

WANADA staff has returned to work in the office part-time, with policies in place to minimise the risk of COVID-19 infection. Whether working from home or in the office, the WANADA team continues to support the alcohol and other drug sector in WA.

For more information about how the Western Australian alcohol and other drug sector is responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or please call (08) 6557 9400.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash