The Challenge
Building capacity in addiction care by creating educational pathways, specialist training and clinical development.
Our Impact
Despite the prevalence of addiction as a co-occurring or isolated health condition, most healthcare professionals receive limited training and exposure to addiction during their undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Major Milestones
AOD education for Victorians nurses and midwives
2016 - 2024
Eight-year partnership between ANMF and TP fund by Dept of Health. 3866 nurses attended, with 99% rating the education as high-quality.
Launch of Master of Addictive Behaviours course
2014
First of its kind, internationally unique course with a strong focus on clinical AOD practice. Designed for professionals in health, social welfare, education, government or policy development who want to broaden their knowledge of, and skills to treat, addictive behaviours.
Launch of Change Agents Network
2013
This project had its origins in the Department of Health’s Alcohol and drug workforce framework: Strategic Directions 2012-22 and their Alcohol and drug workforce framework: Implementation plan 2012-15. The workforce ;framework provided a long-term vision for workforce planning and development and included a commitment “to strengthen methods of translating evidence, knowledge, legislation and policy into routine practice”. The emergence of a leadership group called the Change Agent Network was one of the strategies developed to meet that objective.
Intern program launch
2018
To date, 142 students have completed the program across 13 different cohorts. (see case study)
Case Study
Turning Point's Internship Program
Doing the internship opened my mind even more to the complexities of the different niches working in the AOD services.
- Former Turning Point intern.
The researchers, clinicians and educators at Turning Point know that a career in the addiction sector can be diverse and stimulating.
But it’s vital we are able to give the addiction workforce of tomorrow a glimpse at what their future might look like. That’s exactly what Turning Point’s internship program, launched in 2018 provides.
Funded by the Department of Health, the program runs twice each year, offering eligible tertiary students a 14-week, 150 hour educational placement providing real-world clinical observation and skills training via VET competency units.
To date, 142 students have completed the program across 13 different cohorts.
Read more about the story: Turning Point internship leads to new research roles
Explore the program: Learn more about Turning Point's internship opportunities
Download a Poster of this impact area
