1. Introduction

Welcome to the APOD Family Support website (the "Website"). These Terms and Conditions govern your use of our Website and the services we provide. By accessing or using our Website, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use our Website.

APOD Family Support provides information, resources, and support services for families, friends and carers of people experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues related to alcohol, prescription medications, and other drugs. We are committed to supporting Australian families navigating these challenging circumstances through our support groups, support line, and educational programs.

2. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions:

  • "APOD" means Alcohol, Prescription and Other Drugs
  • "We", "us", "our" and "APOD Family Support" refer to the organisation operating this Website
  • "You", "your" refers to the user or viewer of our Website
  • "Services" means all services, resources, information, tools, and support provided through our Website, including support groups, telephone support line, and educational programs
  • "Content" means all information, text, images, data, links, software, or other material accessible through our Website
  • "Volunteers" refers to the trained individuals who operate our support services

3. Website Use

3.1 Permitted Use

You may access and use our Website for personal and non-commercial purposes in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. You may download and print content from our Website for your personal reference.

3.2 Prohibited Use

You agree not to:

  • Use our Website in any way that breaches any applicable local, national or international law or regulation
  • Use our Website in any way that is unlawful or fraudulent
  • Knowingly introduce viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or other malicious or technologically harmful material
  • Attempt to gain unauthorised access to our Website, the server on which our Website is stored, or any server, computer or database connected to our Website
  • Attack our Website via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack
3.3 Account Registration

Some portions of our Website may require registration. When registering, you must provide accurate, current, and complete information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account details and for restricting access to your computer to prevent unauthorised access to your account.

4. Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to us. Our Privacy Policy, which is available on our Website, explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. By using our Website, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in our Privacy Policy.

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Ownership

All content on this Website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio clips, digital downloads, data compilations, and software, is the property of APOD Family Support or its content suppliers and is protected by Australian and international copyright laws.

5.2 Limited Licence

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use our Website for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not reproduce, distribute, display, sell, lease, transmit, create derivative works from, translate, modify, reverse-engineer, disassemble, decompile, or otherwise exploit this Website or any portion of it without our explicit written permission.

6. Content and Services

6.1 Information Accuracy

While we make reasonable efforts to update the information on our Website, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our Website is accurate, complete or up to date. The information provided is for general guidance only and does not constitute professional medical, psychiatric, psychological or legal advice.

We handle all health information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Privacy Principles under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), ensuring strict confidentiality and security measures are in place.

6.2 Volunteer-Run Service Limitations

As a primarily volunteer-run service with limited funding, our capacity to deliver services may fluctuate. We make no guarantees regarding:

  • Waiting times for support services
  • Continuous availability of all advertised programs
  • Response times to inquiries
  • Specific outcomes from participation in our programs
6.3 Third-Party Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, including mental health resources and government services. These links are provided for your convenience only. We have no control over the contents of those websites and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them.

6.4 Crisis Support Disclaimer

Our services are not designed to replace crisis intervention or emergency services. If you or someone you care for is in immediate danger or requires urgent assistance related to mental health or substance use issues (including alcohol, prescription medication, or other drug emergencies), please contact:

  • Emergency Services: 000
  • Lifeline: 131114
  • Suicide Call Back Service: 1300659467
  • Alcohol and Drug Information Service: 1800250015
  • National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800250015
  • Poisons Information Centre: 131126 (for medication overdoses)
  • Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team in your area
6.5 User Contributions

If you provide us with any feedback, suggestions, or content, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media.

7. Limitation of Liability

7.1 Disclaimer

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we provide our Website and Services on an "as is" and "as available" basis and make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the operation of our Website, or the information, content or materials included on our Website.

7.2 Mental Health and Substance Use Information

Information provided about mental health conditions and substance use issues (including those related to alcohol, prescription medications, and other drugs) is general in nature. Individual circumstances vary significantly, and what may be appropriate for one person may not be suitable for another. Always seek professional advice for specific situations involving mental health concerns or substance use. Our volunteers are trained to provide peer support but are not qualified medical professionals, addiction specialists, psychologists, or counselors unless explicitly stated.

We handle all health information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Privacy Principles under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), ensuring strict confidentiality and security measures are in place.

7.3 Limitation

To the fullest extent permitted by law, APOD Family Support shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from:

  • Your access to or use of or inability to access or use our Website
  • Any conduct or content of any third party on our Website
  • Any content obtained from our Website
  • Unauthorised access, use or alteration of your transmissions or content
  • Reliance on information provided through our support services, support groups, or educational programs
  • Actions taken or not taken based on information provided by our volunteers
  • Cancellation or rescheduling of support groups or programs due to volunteer availability or funding constraints
7.4 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify APOD Family Support, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising directly from your violation of these Terms and Conditions, such as unlawful use of the Website or posting of prohibited content.

8. Changes to Terms and Conditions

We may revise these Terms and Conditions at any time by amending this page. Please check this page regularly to take notice of any changes we have made, as they are binding on you. Your continued use of our Website following the posting of revised Terms and Conditions means that you accept and agree to the changes.

9. Support and Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions or our services, please contact us at:

  • Email: debbie@apod.org.au
  • Phone: 0412 382 812

Please note that as we are a small organisation primarily run by volunteers, response times may vary. For urgent matters regarding mental health or substance use issues, please contact appropriate emergency services.

10. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Australia. Any disputes relating to these terms and conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Australia.

11. Severability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck out and the remaining provisions shall remain in force.

12. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and APOD Family Support regarding your use of our Website and supersede any prior agreements between you and APOD Family Support relating to your use of our Website.

13. Specific Service Terms

13.1 Support Resources and Educational Materials

Resources and educational materials provided through our Website are intended for general information purposes only and should not replace professional advice regarding mental health, alcohol use, prescription medication use, or illicit drug use. Our materials aim to support families and carers but are not a substitute for professional treatment or crisis intervention. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding specific concerns about substance use or mental health issues.

13.2 Support Groups and Programs

For participants in our support groups and educational programs:

  • Registration for support groups and programs is subject to availability
  • We strive to create safe, respectful environments for all participants
  • Confidentiality of discussions in support groups is expected from all participants
  • We reserve the right to request that participants who disrupt the supportive environment leave a session
  • Our volunteers receive training but are not professional counsellors or therapists
13.3 Support Line Services

For users of our telephone support line:

  • Support line hours are as advertised on our Website and may be subject to change
  • The support line is operated by trained volunteers
  • The support line is not a crisis service - in emergencies, please contact 000, Lifeline (13 11 14), or other appropriate emergency services
  • Support line calls may be recorded for training and quality assurance purposes, but only with your explicit consent. You will be informed at the start of the call and given the option to decline recording.
  • We reserve the right to terminate calls that involve abusive language or inappropriate requests
13.4 Online Forums and Community

If you participate in our online forums or community sections:

  • You are solely responsible for the content you post
  • Content must not be illegal, obscene, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, infringing of intellectual property rights, or otherwise injurious to third parties
  • Content related to active substance use methods (including details about alcohol consumption, prescription medication misuse, or illicit drug use techniques) or self-harm techniques is not permitted
  • Sharing or soliciting information about obtaining illegal substances is strictly prohibited
  • Confidentiality of other community members must be respected
  • We reserve the right to remove content that violates these terms or that we determine to be otherwise offensive or inappropriate
  • If you believe content violates these terms, you can report it to us at debbie@apod.org.au and we will review and take appropriate action, which may include removal of the content and suspension of the user’s access.
13.5 Booking Services

If our Website offers booking functionality for support groups or educational programs:

  • All bookings are subject to availability and minimum attendance requirements
  • Cancellation policies will be clearly communicated at the time of booking
  • We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule sessions with reasonable notice due to volunteer availability or other operational constraints

Last updated: 15 April 2025