From next week, the Western Region Alcohol and Drug (WRAD) Centre will begin Sliding Doors – a free non-residential, six-week program for up to eight people.

For four days a week, the structured group model aims to add resilience to other programs that keep drugs users away from methamphetamine and polysubstance abuse (more than one drug).

WRAD director Geoff Soma said Sliding Doors was designed to help about 50 south-west people each year as part of the government’s Ice Action Plan.

“Gone are the days of people just using one drug,” he said.

“Getting people back to physical healthiness is sometimes a challenge and it’s also a challenge getting people back into healthy rituals to have every chance of overcoming their issues.

“This is designed to strengthen individuals in a variety of different ways so they have the skills to cope better when interacting in the community.

“There are things like education, support for mental health issues and support for physical health problems. Bringing all that together will give them every opportunity to give up their substances.”

Mr Soma said there had been a reasonable uptake for the pilot project, which operates at nine sites across Victoria and has an official launch at the Warrnambool Community House on Wednesday.

“We’ve got four or five clients to begin with and we’re hoping that translates closer to six because we need that critical mass number,” he said.

“We think the message is certainly getting out there. We’re hoping to get information to the GPs and other services to make sure people know what we’re doing and what’s available.

“The state government should be commended for investing in another treatment that’s available to support people trying to overcome their addiction.

“It recognises it’s not just one treatment that suits everybody.”

Sliding Doors program co-ordinator Angela Alexander said the new service was for people committed to stop using drugs.

“It will focus on varied therapies, job and employability skills, healthy living opportunities, relaxation and drug education,” she said.