FAQ

OARS CT staff follow strict privacy and confidentiality guidelines that ensures your information is kept confidential. However, there are limits to this in regards to your safety or other’s safety that your counsellor will discuss with you before commencing your sessions.

OARS CT  has an AOD Family Support Worker who is available to provide short, medium or long-term support to family members and loved ones that may or not be related to a person affected by substance misuse. 

Family includes immediate and extended family, partners, friends, carers and anyone that plays a significant part in the life of someone affected by substance misuse.  

Family member/s seeking support become clients in their own right – regardless of whether their loved one is accessing services with OARS CT.

OARS CT has an AOD Peer worker who is available to provide short, medium and long-term support to clients experiencing drug and alcohol related harms.

This peer support is an additional support stream that works collaboratively and consecutively with therapeutic counselling delivered by the rehabilitation counsellors.  

Detox and withdrawal services are provided by the Drug and Alcohol Services of South Australia (DASSA). For more information or to book in for these services please contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) on 1300 13 13 40.

The Gambling Support Service (GSS) has a specific stream of counselling support for family members affected by problem gambling, including information relating to Family Protection Orders and how you can continue to provide support without putting yourself at risk. 

For clients engaged in the Criminal Justice System with gambling related matters before the District Court or Magistrates Courts within CBD or metropolitan areas, Court support can be offered as a treatment support option.  This includes clients engaged in Diversionary programs as well as any other gambling related matters heard before the Court.  The Gambling Support Worker will attend Court hearings with you, liaise with lawyers and Court staff as well as providing Court Support Letters outlining your engagement and involvement with OARS.

The GSS offers outreach counselling to a number of city based and metropolitan correctional facilities.  Referrals are to be requested via prison Social Workers, with counselling support offered post-release also. 

OARS CT runs a number of specialist services to assist men using violence / coercive control in their relationships and for men who have concerns about their thoughts, actions or behaviour impacting their relationships. If your friend/family member/partner is in custody, encourage them to speak to a corrections staff member about connecting with our services. Alternatively call the Don’t Become That Man helpline on 1300 24 34 13 which operates between 2pm – 7pm Monday to Friday, or visit the website www.dontbecomethatman.org.au

 

Unfortunately OARS are unable to provide any legal advice around Intervention Orders. Please contact the Legal Services Commission South Australia on 1300 366 424 for information or visit their website www.lawhandbook.sa.gov.au

 

To be considered for an OARS property your friend/family member will first need to speak to their prison social worker to be assessed for suitability. They can do this by putting in a request on the prisoner request forms which can be provided by officers at the prison. The social worker will go through a brief assessment with them and forward this to OARS. If a suitable property becomes available and we are in a position to nominate them for a property we will then be in touch with your friend/family member.

Due to large numbers of prisoners in need of accommodation, and the limited number of spaces that are available, we may not be able to assist your loved one during their time in prison. We also recommend trying to assist them with sourcing other accommodation such as living with a family member or friend.

Yes, we can. If you have recently been released from prison and are experiencing homelessness, you can make an appointment to meet with our community worker.

To do this you can either call us on 8384 4193, or drop in to our city office located at Ground Floor, 33 Franklin St, Adelaide CBD.

 

OARS Community Transitions Reintegration Services primarily assists single men and women exiting prison to access stable, longer term accommodation via provision of support in transitional housing.   If you are seeking accommodation as a couple or family you can arrange an appointment with our Community Worker at OARS Franklin Street office.  A brief assessment will be undertaken and referral to the most appropriate generic homelessness service will be made. 

OARS can provide support to you through the Specialised Intervention Services (SIS) program. Please call the Port Adelaide Office on 8249 0700 and ask to speak with the Manager of Reintegration services.

A number of support options are available dependent on your needs and can include things like:

• Living skills- assisting around the house/develop cooking skills

• Transporting to appointments

• Take on outings
• Positive Behaviour Support

 

 

If you have been sentenced to Home Detention and require support for issues such as housing, drug & alcohol misuse, employment assistance, financial counselling, assistance with health and or mental health or any other barriers that you may require assistance with, contact your Community Correction Officer (CCO) or OARS CT and ask for a referral to the Home Detention Integrated Support Services Program (HISSP)

OARS offer a program to female clients whom are serving a community based order and require support/case management to assist them overcome challenges and barriers such as housing needs, drug & alcohol misuse, employment assistance, financial counselling, assistance with health and or mental health. Contact your Community Correction Officer (CCO) or OARS CT and ask for a referral to Women’s Intensive Support Program (WISP).

Pass outs are approved by the assigned Community Correction Officer (CCO). 48 hours’ notice is required and you will be advised if it has been approved. Pass-outs are approved on a case by case basis and may be given for areas of critical need such as food shopping, medical appointments or counselling.

For personal safety concerns, if there is imminent threat of harm, remove yourself from harm’s way contact immediately emergency services (police, fire, ambulance). Contact Intensive Compliance Unit 1300 796 199 for any situation regarding your monitoring device such as, you have left/evacuated your residence, locked yourself out of your dwelling, a situation whereby you will not arrive back at the approved time from a pass-out, or a mal functioning monitoring device. Additionally OARS provide a 24hr support phone number to Home-D clients 0428029981.

Support will vary depending on your circumstances and eligibility and location.  Newly released prisoners can access offices for financial support in the form of bus tickets, food vouchers info and or referral to appropriate services. Should you meet the criteria, we will be able to provide information about alternative services that may be able to support you. Financial support may be offered in the form of food vouchers, bus tickets, information and/or referrals to appropriate services.

Support will vary depending on your circumstances and eligibility and location.  We may be able to provide financial support in the form of food vouchers, bus tickets, information and/or referrals to appropriate services.  Additionally information can also be provided regarding accommodation and travel options to regional areas including the OARS Cadell bus service which can be booked through this website.

 

OARS Community Staff endeavour to reply to all requests and a staff member can return your call.

The OARS Family Centre at Yatala Labour Prison is a drop in facility staffed by OARS and volunteers. This is a place where you can talk to someone about your issues in a relaxed, informal and confidential setting. This usually staffed Saturday mornings except public holidays.

The Department of Correctional Services website has information on how to contact a prisoner and a range of other issues.

http://www.corrections.sa.gov.au/prison

Volunteers need to be available for circle meetings once a week (1 hr) and regular social support and activities (2-3 hours a month).  

We ask that volunteers be able to commit to a circle for a period of at least 6 months at the time of engaging. 

In order for COSA to be beneficial, everyone involved needs to be there for the right reasons.   Participating in this program can affect us in unexpected ways, so if you get involved and find it’s not quite right then there is no pressure to continue.

Circle members engage in a range of varied activities with core members. Activities can be social in nature, such as going for coffee, kayaking, fishing or going to the movies, or activities can be aimed at enhancing core members’ living skills and reintegration by supporting them in overcoming social anxiety about catching public transport or attending Services SA with them to obtain their drivers licence.   

The COSA program aims to help you develop communication and interpersonal skills to interact with the community in healthy and appropriate ways. COSA also works to assist you in overcoming possible social anxiety you may experience when having to complete everyday activities such as using attending the local grocery store or catching public transport.

 

Within a safe and respectful atmosphere, Core Members are held accountable by circle members through conversations around the appropriateness of particular thoughts, attitudes and behaviours. COSA works to enhance Core members understanding of appropriateness, potential for harm to community members, and their responsibility for behaviour change.