The First Step Program

We provide free services to thousands of vulnerable Victorians every year. First Step provides a uniquely multi-disciplinary team of GPs, psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers, mental health nurses, care coordinators, counsellors, and peer group educators. Many of our clients live stable lives, connected with family, work and education. But our multi-disciplinary team specialises in supporting peo

ple with complex needs, those at risk of hospitalisation for their mental health, imprisonment, homelessness, or worse. At First Step we believe that chronic addiction is generally a long-term, painful adaptation to childhood abuse and neglect, and that timely and effective treatment is a matter of social justice that benefits all of society. We work to keep people connected to their families, participating in society and taking control of their own lives. Learn more about our work at www.firststep.org.au. COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

The First Step Program page provides a space for people to find out more about First Step, as well as to encourage discussion about important issues like substance use disorders and mental illness. First Step monitors its social media pages between 9am to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays only. First Step posts are occasionally automatically generated outside of these hours and on Victorian public holidays, if this occurs the posts will not be moderated until the following business day between 9am to 5pm. Please be respectful of all points of view and refrain from personal attacks on other users and people who may be featured in our posts. First Step will remove any posts which:

• are likely to be offensive to other readers;
• discuss methods or depicts images of su***de or self-harm;
• discuss drug usage in an unbalanced way, e.g. omit the negative effects;
• contain unhelpful advice, such as blaming a person for their alcohol or other drug use;
• are dogmatic, such as setting out courses of action as “the only way”;
• are racist, sexist, trans/bi/homophobic or in any other way discriminatory;
• are obscene, or uses graphic sexual language;
• are defamatory, or overly critical of services or organisations which provide help to others;
• are likely to cause harm/distress to other people reading the story;
• are posted for commercial purposes; or
• promote inaccurate, inappropriate or harmful health advice. Users who repeatedly violate the above conditions may be blocked from the First Step page. The First Step page does not provide counselling or crisis services. If you need immediate assistance, please call the National Home Doctor Service on 13 74 25. In an emergency situation, please call 000. If a post on any First Step social media page indicates a person may be at risk of harm, First Step will reply to the post as soon as possible and provide information on counselling and crisis support services. In some instances, First Step may report a post which indicates a person may be at risk of harm to authorities, including the police. First Step can take no responsibility for comments from followers on the First Step social media pages.