Public Intoxication Response Service

cohealth’s Public Intoxication Response Service includes street-based outreach teams, transportation services, and a 20-bed support centre.

Service details

Support offered by the Public Intoxication Response Service includes: 

• cohealth outreach vehicles available around the metro Melbourne are 
• Outreach teams, comprised of a nurse and an alcohol and drug specialist who carry a medical kit, water, snacks and mobile chargers. They will be moving around the metro area between 8 pm – 4 am on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and on-call 24/7 at other times 
• A sobering centre operating 24/7

During outreach, the team will: 

• Assess intoxicated clients for health and safety needs 
• Provide water, tend to minor injuries, charge mobiles, contact family/friends 
• Escalate to emergency services if serious health or community safety risk  
• Help people to get home or into safe care via a cohealth vehicle, taxi, public transport or family/friend pickup  
• Take people to the sobering centre as a last option 
• If people refuse assistance, they will be left in place if assessed as safe 

Information for community and residents

For information on how the Public Intoxication Response Service is working with residents in the metro area, visit our Public Intoxication Response Service – Information for community and residents page.