whos.com.au

A N N U A L R E P O R T2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6

HELPING PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES

WHO WE ARE? WHAT WE DO?WHOS is one of the largest alcoholand other drug non governmentorganisations in Australia. WHOSoffers a wide range of treatmentand support services to benefitindividuals with drug and alcoholand associated issues.

Within the therapeutic communityframework, WHOS is able to providesupport to a variety of client groups.WHOS consists of 6 therapeuticcommunity services as well as11 transitional and exit houseswithin the organisation and a DayProgram. WHOS currently providestreatment and support toapproximately 800 individualsannually.

OVERVIEW

OUR YEAR

ACTIVITIES

WHOS History, Missionand Services.............. 5

WHOS utilisation andoutcomes.................. 8

WHOS activities andhighlights..................10

Get in touch (02) 8572 7444 Sydney - Cessnock - Newcastle - SSC www.whos.com.au

STORIESWHOS clients sharetheir stories ............ 13

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President'sMessage

WHOS Values

• Support our clients in their recovery, valuing their feedback and involvement at all times• Maintain the highest levels of confidentiality in dealing with clients• Respect our staff and support them wherever we can• Believe in accessibility and diversity• Remain open and transparent in all that we do• Promote informed client choice• Uphold high governance standards of quality in service delivery using evidence-based practice and innovation

Being involved with an organisation that continues tohelp so many people is a task that my fellow directorsand I take on with a real sense of pride andresponsibility.

Over the years, with the astute leadership of our Board,Executive Director and Service Managers, WHOS hasevolved into one of Australia’s largest residentialtherapeutic community providers for peopleexperiencing challenges with alcohol and other drugs. To achieve this position and continue to evolve andinnovate despite the financial constraints for bothgovernments and the corporate sector has been atremendous feat. To also accomplish this as we facedand experienced changing funding and bureaucraticlandscapes makes it even more commendable.

WHOS helps many vulnerable people in our communityand it is the task of our Board to help WHOS navigatethis uncertainty and change. We do this with a focusthat seeks to protect the core values of WHOS, asarticulated in this annual report, but which also allowsWHOS to achieve and advocate for outcomes that aresought and shared by the community. As a Board, weunderstand that these values and outcomes help buildcohesiveness and inclusiveness in our community.

As you would expect, the WHOS Board takes itscompliance reporting very seriously, however balancingthese demands with the needs our clients and programsbecomes very difficult at times. Many of us giveour time to sit on not-for-profit boards and we areconcerned that the ability of services such as WHOS to

help people in need is being compromised by excessive andcostly reporting. We also know that much of what is requiredhas often already been undertaken and reported via anexhaustive accreditation process. Organisations such asWHOS and many others in the alcohol and drug sector,especially those which have a long standing proventrack record in providing high quality services witheffectiveness and efficiency, should be recognised andconsulted regularly on improving the current compliancesystem.

I also want to take this opportunity to encourage otherbusiness leaders to support and assist the not-for-profitsector. The community we live in depends on contributionscoming from all of us, not just a few.

On behalf of the WHOS Board I want to thank everyoneinvolved with our organisation, especially our hard workingand dedicated staff without whom none of theseaccomplishments would be possible. I also need to especiallyacknowledge the work of our Executive Director who hasprovided a level of leadership for WHOS and the sector overmany years.

WHOS has again this year achieved so much by workingtogether and always remaining focused on the importantassistance we provide to individuals, families andcommunities. I am also sure that with continued support ourefforts to help others will endure for many years to come.

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Frank KayPresident - We Help Ourselves

Executive Director'sMessage

PERSONAL BANKING INSURANCE PLAN INVESTMENT IDEAS

As an organisation, WHOS is continuallyseeking to evaluate and improve its services.

It is an unwritten truism for us that clients‘vote with their feet’ and our service must meettheir needs not just ours or governmentdeveloped priorities. You will see in our reportthat by following our values and utilising ourlong experience, WHOS has been able tomaintain its very high standards of treatmentand care for people with alcohol and otherdrug problems.

WHOS is a service that delivers real value tothe community. We provide a place for someof the most marginalised and damagedmembers of our community. Assisting them tofind a new pathway helps them, their familiesand for the community provides health, socialand economic benefits at a fraction of thecost of the alternatives such as repeatedhospital visits or prison/corrections costs.Ensuring funding bodies and the generalpublic understand this message has beenidentified as a key to our future and ongoingsuccess and sustainability.

Finally, I am sure many will notice that WHOSproudly receives many awards both inAustralia and internationally for the work weundertake and deliver. Recognition and rewardare not why we are here but it is alwaysencouraging for all the staff that help WHOSdeliver its services to receive such awards.

Thank you for taking the time to read aboutthe work we do at WHOS.

The past year has been one of greatachievements and challenges for WHOS. As has always been the case, the nature andtype of drug use occurring in our communitycontinually changes, and this year has beenno exception.

The presentation of people to WHOS usingamphetamines was the most commonsituation we faced. The community rightlyperceives this drug to be problematic anddespite the belief in some quarters thattreatment options are unavailable or limited,that is not the case. At WHOS we see someof the most difficult and complex needsclients present to our services forassistance. We also see many of thesesame people overcome their challenges orat the least develop far better control overtheir drug and alcohol use. This takes a lotof hard work and commitment from both theWHOS staff and the clients themselves butthe message needs to resonate much widerthat treatment is available and effective,particularly in alcohol and other drug useresidential settings.

Many people working in our sector know theopportunity to secure ongoing andsustained funding requires more work todaythan ever before. NGO's competition forgovernment and the philanthropic sectorfunding gets stronger every year. For WHOSthis means continuing on our journey ofinnovation. It is not by accident that wehave achieved so many world andAustralian firsts in the design and deliveryof treatment. It is also not by accident thatwe have very high satisfaction levelsreported by our clients.

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Garth PoppleExecutive Director - We Help Ourselves

Get in touch (02) 8572 7444 Sydney - Cessnock - Newcastle - SSC www.whos.com.au

WHOS Client Satisfaction2015-2016

OVERVIEWPERSONAL BANKING INSURANCE PLAN INVESTMENT IDEAS

HISTORY THERAPEUTICCOMMUNITY

HOLISTIC PROGRAM

WHOS follows the Therapeutic Community(TC) model which means that thecommunity itself, through self-help andmutual support, is the principal means forpromoting personal change.

The client community work together withstaff to overcome the problem of substancedependence and promote personal change.At WHOS, clients (referred to as residents)and staff participate in the management andday to day operation of the TC community,providing a cohesive and safe environment.

Residents are encouraged to takeresponsibility for themselves and build theirawareness of the effect their behaviour hason themselves and on the communityaround them.

Throughout the TC program, residents areencouraged to take on increasing levels ofresponsibility in the running ofthe TC community. As a resident movesthrough the various stages of the programthey receive increased levels ofresponsibility matched with increasedpersonal time and self determined choices.

There is a strong focus on social,psychological and behavioural dimensionsof substance use, with the use of thecommunity to heal individuals emotionally,and support the development of behaviours,attitudes and values of healthy living.

The program includes formal structuredgroup sessions on topics such as relapseprevention, recovery orientated and harmreduction topics.

WHOS was established in 1972 byconcerned ex-consumers to help drugdependant individuals of the communityfind healthier lifestyle options. Since itsearly pioneering days, WHOS provided self-help and peer support which evolved into atraditional Therapeutic Community (TC).

WHOS was the first TC for drug and alcoholdependant individuals in Australia. Thisbeginning as a self-help organisation hasevolved into a recognised professionalorganisation, which utilises the therapeuticcommunity (TC) model of care,incorporating harm minimisation and co-existing mental health initiatives.

Overview | The Story

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PhilosophyWHOS believes that the understanding of harmful

substance dependence and the treatment of peoplewith problems related to harmful substance

dependence can be greatly enhanced byinvolvement and interaction with people who havelived through the experience. WHOS supports and

adopts a self-help approach, which is based on peersupport within the therapeutic community method

of treatment.

The Program

WHOS provides arange of evidenced-based therapeutic

programs and projectstargeting individualsseeking a treatmentgoal of abstinence,opioid reduction oropioid stabilisation.

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In 2016, WHOS consists of six TherapeuticCommunities, one Day Program and 11 Transitionand Exit houses.

Mission StatementTo foster personal growth within anAlcohol and Other Drugs therapeutic

program, incorporating HarmMinimisation and Co-existing Mental

Health Initiatives

PERSONAL BANKING INSURANCE PLAN

PROGRAM DURATION

The Therapeutic Community (TC) stage of theprogram is 90 to 120 days, where residents areencouraged to look at their issues associatedwith their substance dependence. They areprovided with practical guidance to helpimprove their recovery together with information to avoid or reduce harm from apotential future relapse. Progressing throughprogram stages residents are given moreresponsibility and autonomy.

After the initial TC stage they enter the“Transition” stage, and are encouraged to “giveback” to their peers in the TC community, bysupporting the newer members and taking onhigher responsibilities by supporting staff inthe running of the program.

This is followed by an “Exit” stage, where staffassist residents to explore future careeroptions, take advantage of educationalopportunities, and pursue employment andstable housing. Upon program completion, aresident should possess the tools andresources to continue their ongoing recoverybeyond treatment.

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OUR YEAR

Excellence in service delivery demonstrated byclient outcomes

WHOS focuses on delivering a hollistic approach totreatment that is measured in client outcomes.

Data on outcomes is obtained by collecting standardmeasures over a period of time (at treatment entry, 60days and 90 days for the main treatment component atWHOS).

With the assistance of the Network of Alcohol and DrugAgencies (NADA) Client Outcome Management System,WHOS was able to establish that the service deliveredduring the reporting period was highly effective inpositively impacting the serviced group by: - reducing the severity of dependence by 51%, - reducing their illicit drug and alcohol use to zero,- improving their psychological health and their quality of life by 38% and 33% respectively, - 97% of clients demonstrating an increase in knowledge and skills regarding hepatitis C, HIV and safer sex,- reducing BBV exposure risk taking activities by 100%.

During the reporting period at Gunyah (Men’s program),amphetamines had a sharp increase as Principal Drug ofConcern (54%) compared to 36% last financial year(Source NMDS). At WHOS New Beginnings, there was aconsiderable increase on ATSI clients accessing the

service, from 8% last financial year to 19% this reportingperiod. This was due to the service prioritisingadmission to this vulnerable client group.

This reporting period 31% of clients accessing WHOSOST services were female. Attraction and retention of femaleclients has constantly been a challenge for OSTservices asthere are many barriers to treatment which are recognised forthis complex and marginalised group. In order to increaseattraction and retention, WHOS is currently developing newwomen’s gender groups, PTSD groups are well established atWHOS OST TCs and new groups are being considered to beintroduced next year. Trials at WHOS New Beginnings withsubsequent evaluation are already showing a reduction inreducing distress within the target group.

Our Year | The Outcomes

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615 Admissions

100% AverageOccupancy

Average Lenght ofStay: 80 days

Drug-free Clients

153 Admissions

100% AverageOccupancy

Average Lenght ofStay: 75 days

Opioid Treatment Clients

Reduced Severity ofDependece

The SDS is a brief five-item screeningmeasure of psychological aspects ofdependence. This short yet effectivetool is easy to administer to evaluatethe level of severity of substancedependence perceived by the client.

1 Reduced PsychologicalDistress

The Kessler 10 scale (K10) is a widelyused measure of psychologicaldistress, which can be used to identifythose in need of further assessment foranxiety and depression. It is based onquestions about the individual’s level ofnervousness, agitation, psychologicalfatigue and depression.

2 Improved Quality of Life

The WHO QoL-8 is a broad domainbased measure that records qualityof life across health, physical life,psychological life, socialrelationships and living environment.

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Value for Money

Cost of funding a Drug-free Program bed perday $120 / Cost with enhancements $150

Cost of funding an Opioid Treatment Programbed per day $190 / Cost with enhancements$210

Average cost of a hospital bed of $1,400 a night

Cost per inpatient bed day for general mentalhealth services $1,060

Cost per prisoner per day of $305

Income

4 millionCommonwealth

3.6 millionState Gov.

2.4 millionOther income (contributions,donations, etc.)

40%36%

24%

* Program Enhancement includes nursing staff (mental health, OST, dosing, medical), aftercare, family support and HIV/Infectious Diseases project which also representvalue for money as in this way WHOS is able to offer a holistic approach to treatment within the Therapeutic Community model of care.

Sources: WHOS; NSW Auditor-General's Report to Parliament, 2013; Report on Government Services 2016..

*

*

*

Primary Drug of Concern 2015-2016Amphetamines Alcohol Heroin Others

46% 23% 21% 10%

Expenditure

ACTIVITIESPERSONAL BANKING INSURANCE PLAN INVESTMENT IDEAS

NATIONAL FAMILYDRUG SUPPORT DAY STUDY GROUPS DAILY MEDIA SERVICE

Our New Beginnings Program received an award for a Significant Contribution to theTherapeutic Community Movement in Australasia for its demonstrated history of utilising andbuilding best practice for women specific AOD work. The award was presented by PeterKennerley from the New Zealand Ministry of Health.

In addition, our WHOS Harm Reduction Program received a Certificate of Commendation forExcellence in Health Promotion at the 2016 Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies(NADA) Awards which was presented by the NSW Minister for Mental Health, the Hon PruGoward.

Mr Garth Popple was also very honoured to be one of only a handful of people to ever bepresented with a Mentorship Award in Thailand. The award was presented by a member ofthe King of Thailand’s Privy Council in front of over 1,500 people in Bangkok in June.

Staff from the Thai Addictions Hospital inThailand visited WHOS for a 12 week trainingin therapeutic community programs. Thevisit was sponsored by the Thai Government.Also, WHOS hosted senior staff from a Macauservice that operates therapeuticcommunities, outreach programs, needle andsyringe programs as well as youth outreachand drop­in services in Macau. The seniorstaff all work in the therapeutic centres andtrained at WHOS as part of an ongoingcollaborative program between our twoorganisations to prepare for the opening of abrand new 70­bed purpose builttherapeutic community facility.

As part of WHOS commitment to improvingthe information flow in the AOD and relatedsectors, we were pleased to introduce ournew Daily Media Service in mid­2015. Thisis a valuable and free service which waspreviously provided by other organisationsand which many in the sector felt was a realloss for them when the service ceased.Accordingly, WHOS reinstituted a similarmedia service so those working in our sectorand related areas could once again receivea daily summary of media articles andstories of interest. 

AWARDS

WHOS was pleased to be a sponsor andsupporter of the inaugural National FamilyDrug Support Day on the 24th February2016. Simultaneous events were held inParliament Houses across the country withmany Ministers and members of Parliamentattending. Garth Popple, Executive Directorof WHOS represented both WHOS and theAustralasian Therapeutic CommunitiesAssociation Chairperson at the major eventin Parliament House Canberra and gave animpassioned speech on the benefits oftreatment and working with families ofpeople in treatment.

Activities | The Highlights

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TACKLING TOBACCODuring this reporting period WHOS was approached by the NSW Cancer Council to participate in the“Tackling Tobacco” project which is now in the preliminary stages with all agreements finalised andtraining for staff to commence early in the next reporting period. WHOS will be monitoring tobaccocessation initiatives with the client population and a grant will be included in the project to supply morevaried options of NRT.

WHOS Harm Reduction Coordinator/Nurse Manager participated in the development of the e-learningcomponent of the Cancer Council Tackling Tobacco initiative which is now in an evaluation phase andoffered as the training component. WHOS has been selected as one of the services to incorporate the e-learning component into their project with the Cancer Council.

HEPATITIS C TREATMENTAs of March 2016, in conjunction with RPAH Liver Clinic, clients from WHOS Gunyah and NewBeginnings have been able to access the new Hepatitis C treatments. Clients in the second stage of theWHOS program (transition) have commenced treatment and follow up post treatment is occurring atRPAH. Regular Fibro scan/Liver clinics are continuing at WHOS to continue to identify those thatwant/need to commence treatment.

One of the WHOS nursing staff has incorporated harm reduction initiatives into their already busy role tooversee any testing and referral to treatment for Sexual Health and BBV including the monitoring of thoseon Hepatitis C treatment. One project WHOS is undertaking is the monitoring of side effects on aweekly/fortnightly basis. The findings of this project will be presented to other similar services toencourage the uptake of Hepatitis C treatment in residential programs.

Hepatitis NSW has provided a training session to all Harm Reduction Workers at WHOS to ensure they arewell informed of the new treatments for Hepatitis C and provided with updated resources for staff andclients. Furthermore, they also conducted their four session “Living Well” groups to transition clients witha good response and will endeavour to run them again in the next reporting year.

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Program Activities

Workforce Development

Training was conducted in several different areas includingBlood Borne Viruses, Borderline Personality Disorder,Domestic Violence Alert, Gender Addiction & Trauma,Managing Methamphetamine Addiction, Tobacco Free,Working therapeutically with people who have complextrauma histories and Working with women engaged in AODtreatment; and annual mandatory training (e.g. first aid, CPRrefresher, etc.). Defibrillator training by all staff has beenconducted as an addition to staff first aid certificates.Defibrillators are located in all units and are accessible bystaff at any time.

COGNITIVE REMEDIATION GROUPSWHOS has developed and is currently trialling newgroup-work targeting both Cognitive Remediation andCognitive Rehabilitation. This is an essential issue forAOD treatment services as research suggests justunder half of those accessing residential treatment willdemonstrate signs of cognitive impairment. Cognitiveimpairment will significantly reduce a person’s capacityto plan and organise, make decisions quickly and tomoderate and manage emotions.

All of these capacities are essential for someone toengage in treatment and make changes in their lifewhich is essentially the aim of rehabilitation. We areoptimistic that this initiative will facilitate a change ofclient behaviour by moving from problematic, riskysubstance use or reduced harmful substance use.

INDUCTION GROUPSTo increase length of stay (client retention) andminimise early unplanned exits from treatment,changes have been made to the induction groupsprovided to clients in the first two weeks of admission.

These groups provide clients with information,resources and support for their first stage of theprogram. All information in these groups was reviewedand the WHOS Stated Goals Process® wasincorporated. Staff and clients were given theopportunity to provide input prior to developing thesenew groups. The groups have been fully implemented atall sites.

CONSUMER PARTICIPATIONWHOS has implemented a Client Voice Register. Thisdocument tracks and documents client feedback, any actionstaken and outcomes that are fed back to clients. This systemis a formal way in which clients can have a direct means ofcommunicating suggestions and feedback which assists inshaping program delivery. As part of this process, a “ClientVoice” group is conducted to respond and report on anyfeedback clients have provided through the variousmechanisms for consumer participation (e.g. suggestion box,client satisfaction survey, focus groups). During thesegroups, information is provided to the clients so that they areaware of the progress and /or current arrangements in placein response to their suggestions and feedback.

Consumer participation has resulted in the development ofnew initiatives during this reporting period, such as:Early access to onsite psychologist for OTP clients. Clientsatisfaction surveys also supported the need to involveclients in more off site leisure activities. Although staffresources and WHS issues often restrict what WHOS canmake available to clients, staff have initiated more localcommunity activities.

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StoriesPersonal journey from our clients

My reflectionsMy using has gone on for far too long, 23 and ahalf years, but I will focus on the last four orfive years. My heroin use got so out of control,to the point where it didn’t work anymore; nogoing on the nod, no getting me numb,nothing. So my drinking escalated along withmy using.

I was at dangerous levels for a longtime.Though I tried to stop many times,the best I could get was 32 mg Suboxone anda carton of beer a day. This was while I wasliving in Queensland and escalated when I had2 cancer scares. This is when I tried to stopdrinking cold turkey.

While awaiting results for six months forcancer; I returned to using and drinking harderthan ever.

My last 3 and a half years have been the worstof my life, subconsciously not wanting to liveand consciously not wanting to die either. Ihad lost faith and hope that I could beatthis problem and the reality that this was mylife now was setting in fast, and that weakness

Stories | The clients

was eating me up. I wanted to stop but Icouldn’t stop myself and I tried to stop. Myjourneys to score drugs were the most painfulexperiences of my life. Finally I was beatenand I knew if something didn’t give soon, mybody was going to give-in very soon.

Most detox units wouldn’t take me without fulltime around the clock medical staff. A realitycheck of how serious this had become. So Igot private cover and hoped that I could makeit through the two-month wait to be able to usemy cover, manipulating my family every dayfor money as I was hopeless at this point andreally wanted to die before day one in detoxcame. I finally gained access to the detox.

Between ten and fourteen days of being in thatdetox facility, my counsellor called me in andsuggested that I needed long--term rehab if Iwas going to make it. The next day I madecontact with WHOS Gunyah and underwent myphone assessment to that program. This gaveme a focus for the duration of my detox andearly program.

Approximately 2 weeks later I left the detox

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Stories

and made my way to WHOS in Sydney. I hadpreviously experienced long-term rehab withunfavourable outcomes, and my early dayshere were shaping in much the same way. Ihad thought I was well prior to arriving, butafter meeting other clients realised I hadsome healing to do.

Today I’m so grateful to have gotten to apoint where I was beaten but moreimportantly that I was able to listen and takeon board what I needed to hear and put theaction into make things happen. I was beatenand I surrendered. Today I have hope andfaith in this program and more importantly inmyself. I am honest open and willing for thefirst time in so long.

Best decisionGrowing up on a potato farm on coast in asmall town having a loving and caring familymy life suddenly changed when I made thechoice to follow in my father’s footsteps byjoining the emergency services at the age of16. I also joined the Volunteer RescueAssociation at the age of 17 attendingbushfires, house fires and horrific caraccidents. Over a Christmas period Iattended 5 fatal car accidents with theVolunteer Rescue Association and exposingmyself to the duties of body bagging bodiesas part of my job with the rescue squad.

Not long before my 18th birthday I decidedto join the Australian Army which I onlylasted 1 and a half years in. During this time Igot involved in heavy everyday drinking andalso violence. Once leaving the Army I gaineda plumbing apprenticeship and continueddrinking heavily on weekends. Drinkingturned to drug taking also on a regular basis.Taking pills, marijuana and cocaine my life

started to turn for the worse.

At this time I also dealt pills and cocaine.During this time I continued on emergencyservices and then I became a paid parttime employee. Approximately a year whilstattending a bushfire a good friend andfellow work peer had a heart attack andpassed away after I tried to revive him for 45minutes. The night after this event was thefirst time I used Ice and from theneverything in my personal life, relationshipwith partner and work became difficult andat this time my partner was pregnant withmy first and only child.

After using Ice for a few months I thenstarted dealing it whilst also working as aplumber for the guy I was dealing for. In thistime I was also volunteering for the ruralemergency services and working part time.This led me to dealing large quantities of ice,working all day, dealing at the same timeand at night and staying awake anywherebetween 1-25 days without sleeping.

On the 9 August 2011 my son was born. Theproudest moment of my life. But this stilldidn’t stop my using. Not long after this mypartner at the time tried taking her own lifeat home whilst my son was inside and I waslocked outside. At the timeshe was suffering from Post NatalDepression and dealing with an addictedpartner. We not long after spilt up and shetook off interstate for 1 ½ years and fromthere my life only got worse. I then startedusing Ice and marijuana daily not caringabout my life. I then got access to see myson at the age of 3 and this is when I knew Ihad to change my life for me and my son'sfuture.

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Stories

I was using against my will and got involvedin a distribution crew that ran the ice trade. Itwas in this time I got caught with drugs,stolen goods and had done things I neverthought I would do.

In 2014 I went into adrug rehabilitation program for 9 weeks andthought that I had my addiction under wrapsuntil I left the program. The followingmorning after getting home a friend OD’d onGBH/GBL and reminded me of my mate dyingand I picked up the ice pipe. Things wenteven more downhill from there and worsethan ever, carrying ever larger quantitiesaround, committing crimes I never thought Iwould and using up to $500 worth of Ice perday.

I also continued smoking pot, tattooingmyself and others and taking GBL. I then gotcaught again with meth and marijuana in mysystem, quantities of meth and GBL in mypossession and stolen goods and adangerous weapon. I then knew it was timeto change my life once and for all. I was puton MERIT and asked my MERIT worker to putme into a drug and alcohol rehab facility. Intalking to my MERIT officer that I neededthis, so we talked about which facility wouldbenefit me most and decided that I needed astructured program to sort out my issues andalso my PTSD issues.

I decided on WHOS and this was one of thebest decisions I made in my life. Being awayfrom old acquaintances was a good thingbut being 7 hours drive away from my familyand son and real mates was very difficult.

My life and behaviours have changeddramatically since completing the 90 dayprogram in the WHOS program and I am verygrateful for what the staff and fellow peershave done for me to change my life.

I would recommend the WHOS program toanyone that needed the help to get offdrugs and alcohol and to change thebehaviours around this and stop theiraddictions.

This program has changed my lifeimmensely and I’m looking forward toreturning to the rural emergencyservices which I have now been a memberof for 12 years, starting a new career path inDrug and Alcohol Counselling and studyingfor this at TAFE and also start savingmoney for my dream job being a helicopterpilot fighting bushfires. I ‘m also lookingforward to a new life with my parents, sisterand family and also being the father I havealways wanted to be for my son. WithoutWHOS none of this would have beenpossible and I thank them again forchanging my life.

Copyright © 2016 WHOS (We Help Ourselves)

Funded by:

Commonwealth Department of HealthNSW Ministry of HealthQueensland Health

Sydney Local Health DistrictHunter New England Local Health District

Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District

WHOS thanks all funders for helping fulfill our mission