About the program

Who’s it for?

The Choices program has been designed for people required to participate in an alcohol and other drug program as a result of their contact with the Victorian justice system.

Some people issued with a community corrections order with an alcohol and other drug treatment and rehabilitation condition may be referred to this program. Corrections workers are responsible for making Choices referrals.

What’s it about?

The program is designed to explore the relationship between alcohol and other drug use and offending behaviour. It encourages and invites participants to consider how this applies to their own lives and explore behavioural change to avoid future offending.

The title of the program was chosen as it emphasises the choice the individual has when they attend and choose to participate in the program.

What’s involved?

Choices is a three-hour program.

The key objectives of the program are to:

  • Increase self-awareness of the relationship between AOD use and offending.
  • Identify the range of potential harms associated with alcohol and different types of drugs and methods of use.
  • Understand the short and long term effects of use on physical and mental health. Identify the drivers and patterns of use and the interrelationships with other issues.
  • Improve knowledge of concepts of cravings, tolerance, dependence and withdrawal.
  • Understand the stages of change and how to plan for changing behaviour.
  • Develop strategies to identify levels of risk and reduce impacts and consequences.
  • Provide strategies and interventions for self-monitoring and relapse prevention.
  • Inform, support and motivate clients to access additional help where required.
  • Be culturally safe and responsive to the needs of particular clients, including Aboriginal people.
  • Be appropriate to the offending population as the target cohort.