CEO Blog

From the CEO

A word from the CEO

Hello, welcome to the Odyssey House Victoria website. We have been providing treatment and support to thousands of Victorians since we began in 1979. Our programs have changed and saved the lives of some of the most vulnerable in our community. However, the issue of alcohol or other drug addiction has not diminished over time. The need for our services is more important than ever. Whether you are visiting our site as someone who is seeking help or whether you are someone who supports our cause, we hope you find it useful and welcome your feedback.

Regards

Dr Stefan Gruenert

2013 CEO - Blog

In 2013, the Victorian Government will embark on making significant and well overdue changes to the drug and alcohol treatment system in Victoria.

More than 77,000 Victorians are now hospitalised for their alcohol and drug related conditions each year.

Also around 27,000 individuals enter government-funded treatment programs, with increasingly complex problems. However, in 2011, the Victorian Auditor General found that investment in the Victorian system has not kept pace with demand, with waiting times for residential treatment programs doubling in the last 6 years, and services becoming fragmented, confusing and difficult to access, with no assurance of quality. This is not surprising as there are now over 105 different organisations providing drug and alcohol treatment in Victoria. Furthermore, while over 31 internal government reviews since 1999 have identified a range of issues, little has been done by government to improve the system.

Odyssey House Victoria hopes to continue to play a significant role in guiding and implementing these reforms, and we hope that they will deliver real and long-term benefits to the people who need our help.

As one of the leading drug and alcohol treatment, training and support organisations, Odyssey House has a strong reputation for quality.

We are recognised by government and others in the health and community sector as successfully assisting people to beat addiction and go on to lead healthy, happy and meaningful lives in the community for over 30 years.

In addition, our innovative work with families, in community schools, and in sporting clubs around Victoria continues to be recognised through awards, very strong demand for our programs, and financial support for new initiatives like the additional 10 beds at our Lower Plenty facility which will help people seeking to withdraw from their long term use of Methadone.

Early this year, Odyssey House Victoria will also be launching a media campaign to highlight the problem of addiction and to help reduce its stigma. The campaign will invite Australians to do more to tackle the issue and encourage people to seek help when they need it. We will also highlight recent research which demonstrates the savings to the community that investment in programs like Odyssey House make.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make a difference.

Dr Stefan Gruenert, CEO
Odyssey House Victoria

2012 Message from the Chairman

I am new to the Odyssey family. I was introduced by one of the oldest members – in both meanings of the term, Nigel Dick (a former Chair of Odyssey House Victoria).

Nigel didn’t invite me to a Board meeting. He asked me to meet him at Odyssey’s Therapeutic Community (residential rehabilitation) at Lower Plenty. He organised a tour of the premises with a young woman who proudly showed me around the place, particularly the new family accommodation.

Oct 2011: The importance of families

After attending the funeral of a dear colleague recently, I had a very strong urge to go straight home and hug my partner and my two children. It was a powerful reminder of what is really important in my life.

Perhaps, this is the case for all of us. We convince ourselves we are responsible for the course our life takes and our good fortune. However, an unexpected event can suddenly challenge this belief, and help us to appreciate how lucky we are to have what we have.

Feb 2012: Dispelling the Myth

2012 is shaping up to be a big year for Odyssey House Victoria. Despite what many people think, one of our greatest challenges is not providing treatment or support to those who seek our help. Yes, that comes with many difficulties. People are often ambivalent about tackling the problems that underlie their addiction. The quick, albeit temporary relief that alcohol or other drugs offer can provide a constant temptation to fall back into old habits. However, we have developed great expertise to manage these challenges and our success speaks for itself. Consequently, a more difficult challenge faced by Odyssey House is changing public attitudes and reducing stigma, so that support for programs like ours becomes a priority.

July 2011: Hope

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Odyssey House Victoria’s new Chairman, Bruce Hartnett, and look forward to the strong leadership he will provide. I must also thank one of Odyssey House’s founding and continuing Board members, David Bullard, for his work as Chairman over the past two years. In my time at Odyssey House, I have seen David inspire great hope in management and residents alike, of the benefits of hard work and courage.

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