When deciding which Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required for different situations, it is important to follow your organisations policies and also refer to the decision tree in the WA Department of Health’s Advice for use of PPE for workers in community settings.

There are standard steps that must be followed when putting on and removing PPE. These apply across all sectors and the Department of Health provides this comprehensive guide on the process.

However, in the community services sector there are a number of variables that will impact how, and where workers will be able to safely apply, remove and dispose of their PPE.

The videos below demonstrate the considerations that the community services sector workforce needs to take into account when using PPE in different work settings.

Department of Health Decision Tree (current as of 27 August 2020)

Client transfers

PPE considerations when transporting clients, and if organisational policies and the Department of Health decision tree stipulate that only a mask and gloves are required:

Community sector setting

PPE considerations when working in a community sector setting such as a drop-in centre, refuge, or accommodation lodging, and if organisational policies and the Department of Health decision tree stipulate that full PPE (mask, gown, eyewear and gloves) is required:

Home visits

PPE considerations when conducting a home visit, and if organisational policies and the Department of Health decision tree stipulate that full PPE (mask, gown, eyewear and gloves) is required:

The Mental Health Commission thanks Ruah Community Services and St Patrick’s Community Support Centre for their assistance in producing these videos.

Opioids and naloxone

Opioids are depressant drugs that slow down brain activity. Most of the time opioids are used to manage pain but some people use them to experience feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Examples of opioids include oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone, heroin and nitazenes.

An opioid overdose occurs when the opioids disrupt breathing, causing it to either slow and/or stop.  In 2023, opioids accounted for the largest proportion of drug overdose deaths in Western Australia.¹ Pharmaceutical opioids were involved in most of these deaths.¹ 

Naloxone is a medication that temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by restoring the person’s breathing. It starts to work within 2-5 minutes and lasts for up to 90 minutes. Naloxone is safe and easy to use and has no other effects other than to reverse the effect of opioids.  

Where to access naloxone

Naloxone is available free from organisations participating in the Commonwealth Take-Home Naloxone (THN) Program. It can also be prescribed by a doctor and purchased from a non-participating pharmacy. 

Find registered sites near me

Training 

The Mental Health Commission (Commission) offers free online training for anyone who might experience or witness an opioid overdose. The training describes how to recognise an opioid overdose and how to respond using naloxone. 

Access ‘Opioid Overdose and the Use of Naloxone’ training

Please note this training does not authorise a person to supply naloxone. Please contact naloxone@mhc.wa.gov.au for more information. 

Register to supply naloxone 

The Commission runs the WA Naloxone Program and oversees implementation of the Commonwealth THN Program in Western Australia. The WA Naloxone Program supports organisations to supply free naloxone to anyone at risk of experiencing and/or witnessing an opioid overdose. 

For further information or details on how to register your organisation to supply naloxone, including access to mandatory training, please contact naloxone@mhc.wa.gov.au. 

Community pharmacies who wish to join the Commonwealth THN Program can register via the online portal. 

Register here

Download portal user guide

Resources

Opioid Overdose Recognise and Respond Cards are available free to support workers and people who use or know someone who uses opioids. 

Order now 

References

1.    Chrzanowska A, Man N, Sutherland R, Degenhardt L, Peacock A. Trends in overdose and other drug-induced deaths in Australia, 2004-2023. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney; 2025. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/31245.

• Harm Reduction Brochure
• Nitrous Oxide Point of Sale Posters

Clinicians across Western Australia are invited to join weekly online education sessions about alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment, hosted by specialist clinicians from the Commission's Next Step Drug and Alcohol Services. 

The educational webinars are held every Wednesday at 12:15pm and topics include the assessment of alcohol and other drug issues, managing substance use disorders such as alcohol, opioids, cannabis and methamphetamine, and episodic topics on current AOD issues of interest. 

The sessions are held on a ten week rotational basis, however they are continually evolving and often feature guest speakers, so content remains relevant across rotations.

To register contact Michael.Christmass@mhc.wa.gov.au

Next Step Addiction Medicine Symposium, March 2021

Next Step Education Webinars for Clinicians

Interested in further information?

Contact a specialist Next Step AOD clinician on (08) 6553 0520. 

The Mental Health Commission offers a Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service at no charge to health professionals in Western Australia. The specialist telephone consultancy service is staffed by experienced addiction medicine specialists and provides clinical advice to health professionals on all issues relating to patient management of alcohol and other drug use.

The ASSIST portal has been developed by the University of Adelaide, funded by the Australian Government, to scale up screening and intervention for substance use disorders. It is an electronic version of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) which was developed by the World Health Organization. The ASSIST has eight questions and takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. The ASSIST helps identify the risks associated with substance use and the personalised feedback helps explore options for change. It is for health and welfare professionals to develop knowledge and skills on how to assess and intervene while the ASSISTplus site is to enable self-assessment by people who consume substances. Access it via www.assistportal.com.au

The Drug and Alcohol Counsellors Training Program DVD Resources consists of audio-visual scenarios both with and without teaching text. Expanded text outline key teaching points are also included within this package.

This resource has been designed to support trainers who are delivering training to frontline workers, with the purpose of supporting the workers knowledge, development, competence and confidence of core counselling skills required for effective AOD counselling.

Prior to delivering any training using this package, trainers should familiarise themselves with the audio-visual resource and all information provided in the teaching points. It is highly recommended that presenters are acquainted with relevant core counselling skill literature.

Click here to access a version of these videos without on-screen text.

Please visit the Resources module to access the Mental Health Act 2014 brochures. These brochures have been translated into other languages and are available for download.

• Fact sheet: Information Sharing - Clinicians' Powers and Responsibilities
• Clinicians’ eLearning package – (recommended for all mental health service staff) If you are a new user please register and create a log-in
• Clinicians' Practice Guide - published by the Chief Psychiatrist, the guide sets out to explain the Mental Health Act 2014, suggest how it should be interpreted and outline practices to adopt when performing a function under the Act
• Checklists
  • Community Treatment Order
  • Inpatient Treatment Order
• Flowcharts
  • Community treatment order
  • Inpatient treatment order in a general hospital
  • Inpatient treatment order in an authorised hospital
• Posters
  • Charter of Mental Health Care Principles
  • List of Mental Health Act Forms
  • List of Notifiable Events

A medical practitioner or an authorised mental health practitioner can refer a person for an examination by a psychiatrist under a Form 1A – Referral when they suspect that the person is in need of an involuntary treatment order.

The Mental Health Act 2014 contains the criteria for making referrals for assessment and outlines the referral process.

• Fact sheet: Information Sharing - Clinicians' Powers and Responsibilities
• eLearning - If you are a new user please register and create a log-in
• Information sheet - key information about requirements related to referrals
  • Information for referring practitioners
  • Information for staff at NGOs
  • Information for staff at private psychiatric hostels
• Flowchart - a visual guide to the referral process under the Mental Health Act 2014
  • Examination of a person at a place other than an authorised hospital
  • Examination of a person at an authorised hospital

Most people receive mental health treatment and support without the Mental Health Act 2014 applying to them. When treatment under the Mental Health Act does occur, the Act contains a range of safeguarding mechanisms and rights that are required to be upheld.

As of 30 November 2015 the mental health law in Western Australia is the Mental Health Act 2014. This law gives you rights and protections. The resources below give you information about the law in a variety of formats.

People who access mental health services are sometimes referred to as ‘consumers’. Consumers were closely involved in the development of the Mental Health Act 2014 as well as subsequent processes to provide feedback.

• eLearning – how mental health law applies to people experiencing mental illness as well as their support persons
• Fact sheets
  • Further opinions fact sheet
  • Charter of Mental Health Care Principles
• Consumer handbook to the Mental Health Act 2014 – written by consumers for consumers

Most people receive treatment and support for mental health without the Mental Health Act 2014 applying to them. 

If you are a carer, close family member, nominated person, parent or guardian of someone with a mental illness you may be their ‘personal support person’. The Act recognises the importance of this role and provides personal support persons with rights.

• eLearning – how mental health law applies to people experiencing mental illness as well as their support persons
• Fact sheets
  • Further opinions fact sheet
  • Charter of Mental Health Care Principles
• Consumer handbook to the Mental Health Act 2014 – written by consumers for consumers

The Mental Health Act 2014 applies to non-government and private organisations. What this means for staff is explained below:

• Non-government organisations
• Private psychiatric hostels
• Private psychiatric hospitals

For a deeper understanding of the new law, complete the eLearning package.

The Mental Health Act 2014 creates a new role – Transport Officers, whose job is to carry out transport orders. Transport orders are made where a referred person or involuntary patient needs to be transported from one place to another, and there is no other safe alternative.

• eLearning – If you are a new user please register and create a log-in
• Information booklet