Need Help? — Yarns

Need Help?

Each State and Territory has services that will provide you with information, help and advice about HIV/AIDS, STIs and other blood borne viruses


How to contact services that can help you

This section tells you about the types of services that are available and how to contactthose in your State or Territory.

  • 1800 telephone numbers are free if you are calling from outside the city.
  • This mark means that a service has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. 

 

 

AIDS Councils

Every State and Territory has an AIDS Council and some have offices in regional towns. Some are big and offer many information and support services. All can tell you more about HIV and AIDS and tell you the best places for you to get the help you need.

 

PLWH/A organisations and Positive Living Centres

PLWH/A stands for People Living with HIV and AIDS. There are PLWH/A organisations in all States and Territories. They provide a safe place for people with HIV to get together, as well as confidential (private) support, advice and referral to services.

In some states, PLWH/A organisations are based in Positive Living Centres, where many support services like free/cheap meals, vitamin supplements, counselling and complementary therapies are available for people with HIV.

 

Needle and Syringe Program (NSPs) Exchanges

If you inject drugs you can get new gear and helpful information from Needle and syringe Programs (NSPs). You can ask the AIDS Council or your health worker where to find one near you. NSPs also give support and advice about HIV, hepatitis and ways to look after yourself. Make sure you return your used needles and syringes or throw them away safely inside something hard, like a plastic bottle with a lid, so other people don't get hurt by them.

 

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services

Aboriginal Medical Services can provide confidential testing for HIV and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections), which are diseases you can get from sex without a condom, as well as general health care, counselling and support. Some can provide HIV treatments.

 

Other health services

You can choose which service you use. If you don’t like one or worry that they can’t keep secrets, then you can try another one. Many other health services like hospitals, community health centres and some private GPs (doctors) can also do HIV antibody testing and other STIs testing, as well as provide HIV treatments, health monitoring and support.

 

New South Wales

  • ACON
    9 Commonwealth St
    Surry Hills NSW 2010
    02 9206 2000 or  Freecall 1800 063 060 TTY 02 9283 2088
    www.acon.org.au

 

  • ACON Positive Living Centre
    703 Bourke St
    Surry Hills NSW 2010
    02 9699 8756
    www.acon.org.au

 

  • Positive Life NSW
    Suite 5, level 1
    94 Oxford St
    Darlinghurst NSW 2010
    02 9361 6011
    1800 245 677
    www.plwha.org.au

 

Queensland

  • Queensland Association of Healthy Communities (QAHC)

 

Brisbane

  • 30 Helen Street. Newstead Qld 4006
    07 3017 1777
    Fax: 07 3852 5200
    Email: info@qahc.org.au

 

Sunshine Coast

  • 10 Pikki Street, Maroochydore Qld. 4558
    07 5451 1118
    0408 159 028
    Fax: 07 5451 1611
    Email: ssc@qahc.org.au

 

Cairns

 

  • Men's Sexual Health Line 1800 155 141
    Information and referrals on sex, sexuality, HIV and STIs for men who have sex with other men. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
    Information on male to male sexual health www.men.org.au

 

  • Aboriginal &Torres Strait Islanders Program
    Wilo Muwadda (Program Manager)
    07 3017 1716   
    Email: wmuwadda@qahc.org.au

 

  • Queensland Positive People (QPP)
    QPP State Resource Centre
    21 Manilla Street
    EAST BRISBANE, QLD  4169
    07 3013 5555 Freecall: 1800 636 241 (within QLD)
    Fax: 07 3891 1830
    www.qpp.net.au

 

Northern Territory


Northern Territory AIDS & Hepatitis Council (NTAHC)  

 

 

 

  • People Living with HIV/AIDS NT
    C/- NT AIDS Council
    46 Woods St
    Darwin NT 0801
    08 8941 1711 

 

Western Australia

 

South Australia

  • AIDS Council of SA (ACSA)
    Darling House
    64 Fullarton Rd
    Norwood SA 5067
    08 8334 1611
    Free Call: 1800 888 559
    TTY: 08 8362 0306                      
    Fax: 08 8363 1046
    Email: information@acsa.org.au
    www.acsa.org.au

 

 

  • Man2Man Information Line ~ Sexuality, Health, Info & Support
    08 8334 1617
    Country Callers: 1800 671 582

 

  • SAVIVE (South Australian Voice for IV Education)

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Shopfront Youth Health Service (SALISBURY) - Clean Needle Program
    08 8281 1775
    Email: savive@savive.org.au

 

 

  • People Living with HIV/AIDS SA
    16 Malawa St
    Glandore SA 5037
    08 8293 3700
    www.hivsa.org.au

 

Victoria

  • Victorian AIDS Council – Gay Men’s Health Centre (VAC/GMHC)
    Peter Knight Centre
    6 Claremont St
    South Yarra VIC 3141
    03 9865 6700
    Fax: 03 9826 2700
    Free-call: 1800 134 840
    www.vicaids.asn.au

 

  • Positive Living Centre (PLC)
    51 Commercial Road
    Prahran Victoria 3181
    03 9863 0444
    Fax: 03 9820 3166
    Free-call: 1800 622 795

 

The Centre Clinic

  • St Kilda Clinic -
    (Rear of) 77 Fitzroy Street
    St Kilda Victoria 3182
    (03) 9525 5866
    Fax: (03) 9525 3673
  • Northcote Clinic -
    42 Separation Street
    Northcote Victoria 3070
    Phone: (03) 9481 7155
    Fax: (03) 9252 3673

 

 

Australian Capital Territory

  • AIDS Action Council of the ACT (AACACT)
    16 Gordon St
    Acton ACT 2601
    02 6257 2855
    Fax: 02 6257 4838
    www.aidsaction.org.au

 

 

Tasmania

  • Tasmanian Council on AIDS, Hepatitis & Related Diseases (TasCAHRD)
    319 Liverpool St
    Hobart TAS 7000
    03 6234 1242
    Fax: (03) 6234 1630
    Information and Support Line: 1800 005 900
    www.tascahrd.org.au

 

National Organisations

 

  • National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA)
    Suite G5,
    1 Erskineville Rd
    Erskinville, NSW 2042
    02 9557 8825
    02 9565 4860
    Freecall 1800 259 666
    www.napwa.org.au

 

  • Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL)
    GPO Box 1552
    Canberra ACT 2600
    02 6279 1600
    Fax: 02 6279 1610
    www.aivl.org.au

 

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) can provide testing for HIV antibodies and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections), which are diseases you can get from sex without a condom. They also provide general health care, counselling and support. Some can also provide assistance with HIV treatments.

The following State and Territory organisations can tell you where your nearest ACCHS is located.

 

  • Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC)
    Level 3, 66 Wentworth Ave
    Surry Hills, NSW, 2010
    02 9212 4777
    Fax: 02 9212 7211
    Email: ahmrc@ahmrc.org.au
    www.ahmrc.org.au

 

  • Queensland Aboriginal & Islander Health Council (QAIHC)
    557 Gregory Terrace
    (Entry via Anderson Street)
    Fortitude Valley, Qld 4006
    07 3360 8444
    Fax: 07 3257 7455
    Email: qaihc@qaihc.com.au
    www.qaihc.com.au

 

  • Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA)
    78 Fullarton Road, Norwood SA 5067
    08 8132 6700
    Fax: 08 8132 6799
    Email: ahcsa@ahcsa.org.au

 

  • Western Australia Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (WAACCHO)
    Level 1
    224 Stirling Street
    Perth W.A. 6000
    Ph - 08 9227 1631
    Fax - 08 9228 1099
    Email: admin@ahcwa.org.au
    www.ahcwa.org.au

 

  • Tasmanian Aboriginal Health Services (TAHS)
    56 Patrick St, Hobart 7001
    03 6231 3527

 

  • Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT)
    Tourism House
    43 Mitchell Street
    Darwin, Northern Territory 0800
    08 8944.6666
    Fax: 08 8981.4825
    Email: reception@amsant.com.au This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
    www.amsant.com.au

 

Other useful resources

The following resources can be downloaded from www.afao.org.au

  • HIV/AIDS and Us Mob  information resource for Indigenous people living with HIV.
  • The Sistergirl posters a national peer based resource that promote positive self-esteem and incorporate essential HIV/AIDS and sexual health messages.
  • Cultural Awareness Package A training manual for HIV/AIDS and health workers who work with Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders
  • Hot Chocolate - Access for all  A training package addressing Indigenous gay men and transgender/sistergirl's access to HIV and sexual health services.
  • We're Family Too - a poster about discrimination.
  • HIV Tests and Treatments Information and advice to help you make decisions.
  • Taking care of yourself A guide for people with HIV/AIDS.
  • HIV+ Gay Sex A booklet about being gay, having HIV and sex.Treat yourself right 3rd Edition Information for women with HIV/AIDS.
  • Managing Side Effects A guide to help you identify the kinds of side effects that some people with HIV experience, and to provide suggestions on how to prevent, manage, reduce or eliminate some common side effects through the use of medicines, complementary and supportive therapies or practical measures.
  • Sex in Other Cities
    www.sexinothercities.com.au
  • Up, Up and Away: A guide for positive travelers
    www.positivetravel.info
  • Protecting our future
    An information guide on HIV/AIDS, STIs & hepatitis C for Indigenous communities.
    http://www.qahc.org.au/atsicampaigns
  • Holding our own
    An information guide on HIV/AIDS, STIs & hepatitis C for Indigenous Gay Men and
  • Sistergirls
    http://www.qahc.org.au/atsicampaigns

 

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources are available from your local AIDS Councils.