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Home-based withdrawal
The Turning Point home-based withdrawal team aims to provide
a flexible and prompt response to people
wishing to address their drug use. In consultation with your
GP, we can provide assessment and ongoing
monitoring and support by a specialist nurse who will come
to your home.
We provide:
• Daily monitoring
• Motivation and support
• Education
• Liaison and advocacy with other services
• Post-withdrawal follow-up and referral
We monitor and support the process of withdrawal to:
• Alleviate withdrawal symptoms
• Prevent severe withdrawal complications
• Effect discontinuation of use, which is beyond the
person’s resources
• Provide linkages to appropriate post-withdrawal services
We aim to:
• Provide a safe, caring and cost-effective withdrawal
program in the community
• Provide education and support to other community agencies
How to access withdrawal
services:
Referrals can be made through the Turning Point Telephone
Assessments Worker, Monday to Friday,
9.00am-4:30pm by phoning (03) 8413 8444.
For assistance outside these hours,
please contact:
DirectLine on 1800 888 236
(24-hour phone counselling and referral service)
Eligibility:
Home-based withdrawal is suitable for people who meet the
following criteria:
• Person wishes to withdraw from drug use and comply
with prescriptions and conditions of the program
• Ideally, a 24-hour carer is available for support
and monitoring (this is often a friend, family or housemate)
• The home environment is otherwise drug free and there
are no safety issues
• There is no concurrent physical or psychiatric disorder
that may interfere with the withdrawal program
- not pregnant
• The person is dependant and withdrawing from one drug
only
• A mild to moderate withdrawal is expected (i.e. presenting
symptoms are mild and there is no previous
history of severe withdrawals or delirium tremens)
• The person has access to a telephone
• The person is not geographically isolated
People who fall outside these criteria may require
referral to a residential or outpatient withdrawal program.
The nurse can assist with this referral.
Duty Of Care program:
The Turning Point Duty of Care program is used when a person
who does not satisfy the criteria for
home-based withdrawal wishes to address their drug use. The
Home-based withdrawal nurse will work
with the person to promote safety and reduce risk.
This may involve:
• Daily follow-up to all health care agencies to procure
a detox bed
• Daily monitoring of client
• Completion of Duty of Care pathway. This may include
goals of: education about harm minimisation
strategies, supportive withdrawal counselling, motivational
interviewing or support and monitoring.
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