Turning Point

05/09/2025

Our newest podcast has just been released! Our guest speaker, Rowan Ogeil, is the Strategic Lead of the National Addiction and Mental Health Surveillance Unit at Turning Point, and has authored over 100 publications across the fields of addiction, substance use, and sleep. Rowan sat down with us to talk about the importance of sleep, and it's connection between mental health and substance use. Listen here: https://www.nmhp.org.au/health/podcast-2-7.html. If this raises any concerns for you, our team is here. You can reach us on 9415 7551.

02/09/2025

🚀Applications Now Open: Fully-Funded PhD Opportunity at the Forefront of Neuroscience-Informed Addiction Treatment

We’re thrilled to announce a unique opportunity to join a fully funded PhD program that’s redefining addiction treatment in Australia. This is your chance to be part of the first real-world implementation trial of a scientifically proven neurocognitive training intervention for individuals undergoing alcohol withdrawal.

Backed by an NHMRC Partnership Project Grant, this visionary research will co-design and deploy a next-generation Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) platform and smartphone app, developed in collaboration with consumers and clinicians from across Australia. The project will harness cutting-edge AI technologies to personalise CBM training, enhance patient outcomes, and unlock deeper insights into treatment effectiveness and user experience.

As a PhD candidate, you’ll work within a dynamic, interdisciplinary team – including fellow CBM PhDs and Research Engineers – to develop and implement a clinician-friendly infrastructure for delivering CBM during inpatient care, and a seamless app-based experience for continued training post-discharge.

Key Highlights:
• 💡 AI-powered personalisation of cognitive training
• 📱 Human-centred design of digital health tools
• 🧠 Real-world impact on addiction recovery
• 🤝 Collaborative research environment across clinical and tech domains

This applied PhD is hosted by Monash University’s Eastern Health Clinical School (EHCS), in partnership with Turning Point, a national leader in addiction treatment and research. Supervision will be provided by Professor Victoria Manning (EHCS & Turning Point) and Professor Patrick Olivier (Action Lab: Australia), combining expertise in addiction science, implementation science and human-centred design.

Eligibility: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

Funding: Generously supported by the Ramsay Health Research Foundation and the CSIRO Next Generation AI Graduate Program.

This is more than a scholarship; it’s a launchpad for shaping the future of addiction care.

What’s on offer:
• 💰 $43,333 AUD/year tax-free stipend (for 3.5 years, indexed annually)
• 🧪 $5,000 AUD/year research expenses
• 🌏 $5,000 AUD international travel allowance
• 📘 $840 AUD thesis allowance
• 🏠 $5,000 AUD cost-of-living allowance ($2,000 at enrolment, $3,000 at confirmation)
• 🏢 6-month industry placement (or equivalent)
• 🎓 Expert supervision from leaders in addiction science, AI, and human-computer interaction

To apply, submit an expression of interest (including CV and degree documents) at: https://forms.gle/RxQTAZzd57gLZ19A7

Apply by Sunday, 28 September 2025.

Short-listed candidates will have a 30-minute interview on Zoom in early October.

01/09/2025

Yesterday, we joined millions around the world in recognising International Overdose Awareness Day. This day reminds us that addiction and overdose affects us all.

For our Lived Experience team, this day carries deep personal meaning. Their powerful words speak of grief and loss, but also of hope, compassion, and the urgent need for action.
Every story shared, every voice raised and every step we take brings us closer to a future free from overdose.

is not only about awareness. It is about recognising the power we share to change what comes next.

Join us in getting involved: https://www.overdoseday.com/

28/08/2025

Today is ‘Wear It Purple Day’, a chance to wear purple and show all LGBTQIA+SB young people that they are celebrated and respected.

It’s also the perfect day to listen to the latest episode from JOY Media's ‘Well Well Well’ podcast.

During the podcast, Nic Robinson Griffith from Thorne Harbour Health, and Dr Annette Peart and Blair Hill from Turning Point discuss the barriers that trans and gender diverse (TGD) people face when accessing alcohol and other drug (AOD) residential services, and ask: what does inclusive care actually look like?

By incorporating more inclusive practices, treatment services can ensure they provide welcoming, respectful and supportive care for everyone who seeks their help.

Let’s come together to create a more inclusive future for people across Australia by wearing purple and taking the next steps towards ensuring that we all have equal access to healthcare.

Listen here: https://joy.org.au/wellwellwell/2025/08/tgd-inclusion-in-aod-residential-services/

28/08/2025

The August edition of Research Roundup is out now!

In this edition:
👉Professor Victoria Manning has secured $1.9M in funding to lead Australia’s first real-world implementation of Cognitive Bias Modification ( ). Applications are open for a Research Fellow to support the design, coordination and implementation of the CBM platform and toolkit.
👉Hear about transgender and gender diverse inclusion in AOD residential services on a new podcast featuring Thorne Harbour Health and Turning Point.
👉Expressions of interest are now open for the national trial implementing MAKINGtheLINK in secondary schools next year.
👉Plus, A/Prof Shalini Arunogiri to deliver a keynote presentation at Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (APSAD) Conference 2025; a new "Framing Addiction and Dependence" messaging guide; our latest publications; opportunities to participate in research; and more!

Click to keep reading: https://mailchi.mp/turningpoint/turning-point-research-updates-17324845

26/08/2025

Framing Addiction & Dependence: building support and reducing stigma, message guide now available!

With today’s launch of Framing Addiction & Dependence, a new resource to build understanding and reduce stigma, we’re excited to share the message guide for you to view or download.

Developed by Turning Point in partnership with Common Cause Australia, it brings together the voices of more than 2,400 Australians alongside clinicians, researchers, advocates, and people with lived experience.

Download the evidence-based message guide at:https://turning-point-website-prod.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/drupal-s3fs/s3fs-public/2025-08/Framing%20Addiction%20and%20Dependence%20-%20FINAL%20(1).pdf

22/08/2025

Victoria’s first fixed pill testing service has officially opened in Fitzroy, marking a major step forward for harm reduction. Building on international evidence that pill testing saves lives, the trial will help shape the best long-term model for Victoria. The service offers free, confidential advice from health professionals, helping people make safer choices while also monitoring the drug market in real time.

“The evidence is clear – pill testing works and that’s why we’ve delivered both a fixed site and mobile services to reach as many Victorians as possible,” said Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt.

Read more on the announcement:

The Allan Labor Government’s pill testing trial has reached its next major milestone – with Victoria’s first fixed site pill testing service in Fitzroy opening its doors.Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt today announced the Victorian Pill Testing Service will begin operating from its new...

21/08/2025

Curious about a career in addiction science?
From internships to PhDs, Turning Point's Student Open Night gives you the chance to explore where a future in this vital field could take you. Tour the site, connect with staff and students, and discover the programs that are changing lives and breaking stigma.

📍 Next Tuesday 26 August, 4–7pm
🧭 Turning Point, Richmond
👉 Find out more information take the first step: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/student-open-night-2025-turning-point-tickets-1347321447719

13/08/2025

How we speak about addiction can transform understanding and open pathways to support.

Turning Point, in partnership with Common Cause Australia, has created Framing Addiction & Dependence — a message guide built on the voices of more than 2,400 Australians and the expertise of clinicians, researchers, advocates, and people with lived experience.

This free online webinar marks the launch of the guide, with insights from Professor Dan Lubman AM and Mark Chenery on how to use these evidence-based messages to build public understanding, shift harmful narratives, and strengthen support for those experiencing harm.

Whether you work in the alcohol and other drug sector, the wider health field, or have been personally affected by addiction, this is your opportunity to be part of a national conversation on reducing stigma and creating change.

Join us online at 1pm on Tuesday 26 August 2025.
Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/launch-of-framing-addiction-dependence-a-message-guide-tickets-1565597045909

11/08/2025

This International Youth Day 2025, we're excited to open expressions of interest for the national trial implementing in secondary schools next year.

Schools throughout Australia are invited to take part in this award-winning school-based resource, which empowers students to support their friends to seek help early for mental health concerns.

MAKINGtheLINK is accessible for young people from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and geographic locations throughout Australia. The resource is designed for the variety of challenges faced by adolescents.

MAKINGtheLINK is:
✔️ Relevant
✔️ Adaptable
✔️ Co-designed by teachers and students in Australia

Why get involved? Aligned with the States and Australian School Curriculum, MAKINGtheLINK evidence-based health promotion resource specifically targets Year 9 students in middle adolescence, a significant social and emotional developmental phase.

“Getting professional help early for any mental health concerns is crucial to improving life outcomes,” explained Executive Clinical Director of Turning Point, Professor Dan Lubman AM, who is the NHMRC’s Chief Investigator for the MAKINGtheLINK program.

“Young people who are struggling are often reluctant to seek help, particularly from health professionals,” he explained. “When they do, they typically turn to their peers, who often do not have the necessary knowledge or skills to support their friends.”

By building Year 9 students’ knowledge and practical skills in supporting their friends, MAKINGtheLINK breaks down barriers to finding help and sets them up for a life where seeking help is normalised.

Interested? As we enter the implementation phase of our national trial, we invite secondary schools across the country to partner with us.

Join us in empowering young people with the skills and confidence to seek help early and support each other.

👉 Register your interest here: https://lnkd.in/dZc4Bz3W

For more information: https://lnkd.in/guya3YhX

08/08/2025

Thank you to everyone who has donated to Turning Point 💜 Every contribution helps us deliver life-changing care, education, and research for individuals and families impacted by addiction.

Your generosity is helping us reach more people and provide the hope, connection and support that brings us closer to a future free from stigma and harm.

If you haven’t donated yet, there’s still time to be part of this change. Every gift, big or small, helps build a better future.

Follow the link to support our work today: https://www.turningpoint.org.au/donate

05/08/2025

Thinking of upskilling?

Find out more about the Graduate Program of Addictive Behaviours at Monash University!

By enrolling in one of our courses, you will develop the specialist knowledge and professional skills to support individuals and communities impacted by addiction:
✔️ Graduate Certificate of Addictive Behaviours (M4018): 1 year part-time
✔️ Graduate Diploma of Addictive Behaviours (M5022): 2 years part-time
✔️ Master of Addictive Behaviours (M6014): 2–3 years part-time (depending on entry level, based on prior qualifications that may reduce study duration)

Each of these online postgraduate courses (with part-time study) builds on units offered in the previous qualification and provides pathways for further study and postgraduate research opportunities in addiction.

Why join?
✔️ Learn from leading experts and real-world practitioners.
✔️ Gain a postgraduate qualification from a Group of Eight University, ranked in the top 40 globally.
✔️ Advance your career.
✔️ Make a measurable impact on people’s lives.

👉 Interested?
Come to our Student Open Night and explore where graduate studies in addiction science can take you: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/student-open-night-2025-turning-point-tickets-1347321447719

Find out more about the Addictive Behaviours Graduate Program: https://www.turningpoint.org.au/education/programs/higher-education

Explore scholarship opportunities: https://www.turningpoint.org.au/education/programs/higher-education/department-of-health-vic-scholarships