ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessment, treatment planning, and brokerage services across a range of programs.

This referral form is to be used when:

• Parole has been granted.

Who can submit a referral?

• Referrals should be completed by the Individual’s Parole Officer.
• The Parole Officer is required to provide mandatory supporting documentation at the point of referral, including:
  • Victorian Criminal Record
  • Parole Order, or
  • eJustice screenshots clearly showing order dates and conditions where a copy of the order is not yet available

Providing documentation at submission supports timely assessment and reduces delays.

Important information

• Complete referrals are critical to supporting in-custody assessments and reducing avoidable assessments in the community.
• Where COATS is unable to complete an assessment prior to release, CCS will be notified that this will need to occur in the community.

For support with the referral form or submission process, please contact:

COATS Client Services Unit: 03 9413 7196 Email: prisonreferral@acso.org.au.

ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessments, treatment planning, and brokerage across a range of different support services and programs.

This form is used to refer clients engaged on a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Order with a Victorian Drug Court.

Who can complete the referral?

• The referral is submitted by the client’s Drug Court Clinical Advisor as part of one of DATO

Eligibility requirements:

• An AOD treatment appointment has been obtained by the Clinical Advisor from an approved (DH-funded) AOD Service provider, and
• The first treatment date is in the future or commenced within the last 4 weeks (brokerage cannot be backdated more than 4 weeks)

For support with the referral form or submission process, please contact:

COATS Client Services Unit: 03 9413 7196 Email: intake@acso.org.au

ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessments, treatment planning, and brokerage across a range of different support services and programs.

This form is used to refer clients engaged in either the ARC list, CISP, CROP or Neighbourhood Justice Centre programs

Who can complete the referral?

• The referral is submitted by the client’s Case Manager as part of one of the abovementioned programs

For support with the referral form or submission process, please contact:

COATS Client Services Unit: 03 9413 7196 Email: intake@acso.org.au

ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessments, treatment planning, and brokerage across a range of different support services and programs.

This form is used to refer clients engaged in a Neighbourhood Justice Centre Bail program.

Who can complete the referral?

• The referral is submitted by the client’s NJC Case Managers as part of the above program.

Eligibility requirements:

• An AOD treatment appointment has been obtained by the Case Manager from an approved (DH-funded) AOD Service provider, and
• The first treatment date is in the future or commenced within the last 4 weeks (brokerage cannot be backdated more than 4 weeks)

For support with the referral form or submission process, please contact:

COATS Client Services Unit: 03 9413 7196 Email: intake@acso.org.au

ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessments, treatment planning, and brokerage across a range of different support services and programs.

This form is used to refer a young person engaged on a Youth Justice sentence or order.

Who can complete the referral?

• The referral is submitted by the young person’s Youth Justice Case Manager
• The Youth Justice Case Manager has obtained a D&A Assessment from a DH funded AOD service provider and

Eligibility requirements:

• The D&A Assessment appointment date is in the future or has occurred within the last 4 weeks (brokerage cannot be backdated more than 4 weeks)

For support with the referral form or submission process, please contact:

COATS Client Services Unit: 03 9413 7196 Email: intake@acso.org.au

ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessment, treatment planning, and brokerage services across a range of programs.

This referral form is used by funded AOD service providers to request brokerage for clients being referred via the Other Diversion pathway. Referrals must meet the Department of Health definition of a forensic AOD client and eligibility criteria for the diversion pathway. The referring service is responsible for confirming that these requirements have been met prior to submission.

‘Other Diversion’ clients are voluntary (not mandated to attend treatment). However, all clients referred through this pathway must meet the Department of Health definition of a forensic AOD client, and it is the responsibility of the referring service to ensure this criterion is satisfied.

Who can submit a referral?

• Funded AOD services delivering forensic AOD assessment and treatment

Eligibility requirements

Referring services are responsible for confirming eligibility in line with Department of Health policy. At a minimum, this includes:

• The client is not currently subject to a Justice order, Victoria Police caution, or Family Reunification Order
• The client has been referred via an approved diversion pathway, or has self-referred where forensic eligibility criteria are met
• The referral includes a first appointment date:
  • In the future, or
  • Within the past 4 weeks (brokerage cannot be backdated beyond this)

Approved referral pathways include:

• Courts (excluding Children’s Court)
• Child Protection Services
• Custodial Health Alcohol and Drug Nurse (CHAD)
• Police
• Solicitor
• Salvation Army Chaplain
• Drink and Drug Driver programs
• Family Court

Important information

• Eligibility must align with the Department of Health Forensic AOD client definition policy
• Submitting a referral indicates the service has undertaken appropriate eligibility checks
• Incomplete or ineligible referrals may be returned for clarification

For support with the referral form or submission process, please contact:

COATS Client Services Unit: 03 9413 7196 Email: intake@acso.org.au

ACSO is contracted to deliver specialist assessments, treatment planning, and brokerage across a range of support services and programs.

This form is to be used for clients due for straight release from custodial settings as part of their transition from prison into the community (excluding Community Corrections Services).

Who can complete a referral?

Referrals can be submitted by workers or organisations involved in a client’s transition from custody into the community, including:

• Assessment Transition Coordinators (ATCs) in Victorian prisons
• Case Workers (e.g., ReConnect workers)
• Drug Treatment Agencies located in prisons
• Housing and Residential Workers
• Prison staff
• Thomas Embling Hospital

Eligibility requirements

To be considered, referrals must meet the following criteria:

• The client’s release date is at least 20 business days from the date of submission, and
• The release date is no more than 6 months in advance

If COATS is unable to arrange an assessment prior to release:

• ACSO will endeavour to notify the referrer
• referrers should directly refer the client to their local catchment-based AOD service provider for support

Clients outside eligibility criteria

If a client has less than 20 business days remaining prior to release, a Step Out referral cannot be accepted.

In these cases, referrers should directly refer the client to their local catchment-based AOD service provider for support.

Please ensure that the referral form name above matches your requirement for making a referral today, as an incorrect selection may lead to the decline of the referral.

Please note: Bridging referral will not be provided in the following circumstances:

• When a client has no phone contact details
• Where a COATS Forensic AOD Assessment has not yet taken place.
• Where a client has commenced their Forensic AOD treatment, or the treatment episode has been closed
• For individuals participating in Bail programs (e.g., CISP/CROP/CREDIT/ARC)
• When the client’s primary presenting problem is unstable mental health. In this instance bridging support will be offered once a mental health service has been contacted

If you wish to inquire about availability for a sooner COATS appointment, please contact intake@acso.org.au or call Intake at (03) 9413 7016

Please email coatsbridging@acso.org.au if you need to discuss any referrals.