Please use the links below to jump to a particular area.

Project Activities
Contact Us

This section details the background, goal and guiding principles of the Alcohol Management Project, the partnerships that support it and project activities.

Background

The Alcohol Management Project (AMP) was created to develop a response to alcohol and substance use disorders and related problems in the veteran community, as identified in DVA's mental health policy and the Vietnam Veterans Health Study. The project is being developed in the context of the National Alcohol Strategy.

Our Goal

To create opportunities to reduce alcohol related harm in the veteran community and ensure that alcohol and related problems are addressed in an integrated way with other physical and mental health conditions and encompass prevention, early intervention, treatment and relapse prevention.

Key Guiding Principles

• Harm reduction
• Evidence based practice
• Shared responsibility and partnership
• Creating a Best Fit between client need and intervention

The Alcohol Management Project has been developed with the input of consultative committees made up of experts on alcohol, health and veterans.

Partnerships

The Alcohol Management Project is a partnership of ex-service and veteran community organisations and the Department of Veterans' Affairs that aims to promote a healthier approach to alcohol use by veterans and their families. The project builds on existing initiatives already in place in the veteran community.

Click here to see a PDF of the full Partnership Agreement.

We also maintain active partnerships with a number of organisations outside DVA. including:

• Department of Health and Ageing
• Department of Defence
• Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mental Health

Facilitating Pathways to Care for Veterans with Alcohol Related Problems

A National Workshop held in November 2001 to inform and direct the project involved veterans and partners representatives, health providers, alcohol and drug researchers and treatment specialists, VVCS and DVA staff.

Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention

Piloting and refining the Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (AS+BI) Manual for use by health providers and peer educators working with, and treating veterans and their families.

Screening and Brief Intervention training has been undertaken by VVCS counsellors and a pilot project to incorporate AS+BI into community nursing assessments is being conducted with six Community Nurse providers.

Health Promotion and Communication

• Materials and activities encouraging veterans and their families to choose a healthy mix;
• Getting the message out to the veteran community and health providers via veteran community and ex-service organisations, health providers and the DVA network.

The veteran community has had direct input into the development of these materials and activities via the Health Promotion Working Group.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment for Veterans

Developing and promoting Clinical Practice Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment in partnership with the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health (ACPMH).

Guide to low-risk drinking and information for veterans and families

• A self-help booklet for veterans who want to change their drinking behaviour
• Information specifically for partners and families is being developed in a later phase of the project.

Click here to view the Guide to Low Risk Drinking

	alcoholproject@dva.gov.au
	DVA on 133 254
	Alcohol Management Project DVA PO Box 21 Woden ACT 2606

For more details on the Alcohol Management Project please click on the link below: www.dva.gov.au/health/younger/mhealth/alcohol/index.htm

The publication of electronic addresses on this website is for the information of users. DVA does not authorise the receipt of commercial electronic messages (generally known as spam) at any published electronic address. They are to be used for legitimate correspondence only - no spam.

Legals & Privacy | Contact Us

© Copyright 2004 Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs