FIFO Addiction & Mental Health Support

Care that travels with the roster: supporting FIFO and resources workers

Aurora Healthcare provides national addiction, dual diagnosis and mental health support for fly-in fly-out and resources sector workforces — accessible from site, camp, or home, on any swing.

Our network combines rapid inpatient admission, virtual treatment options, and confidential referral pathways, so workers can get support without losing time with family or falling behind on roster.

Why FIFO workers need specialist support

FIFO and resources sector work carries a real, measurable health cost. Remote rosters, extended shifts and time away from support networks put workers at higher risk of substance use and psychological distress than the broader workforce — and site drug & alcohol policies increasingly require a fast, credible referral pathway before return to work.

• 71% of FIFO workers report drinking at risky levels — far more often than other workers.
• 29% used illicit drugs in the past year, more than double a comparable benchmark group.
• 1 in 3 FIFO workers experience high psychological distress. Addiction rarely presents on its own.

Site D&A policies commonly require referral to an appropriate service before a worker can return to work. Employers, EAPs and occupational physicians need a pathway that is fast, clinically credible, and easy for a worker to start.

Source: Parker, S., Fruhen, L., Burton, C., et al. (2018). Impact of FIFO Work Arrangements on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of FIFO Workers. Centre for Transformative Work Design, Curtin University, for the WA Mental Health Commission. Survey of 3,108 FIFO workers.

Support wherever the roster takes them: our national network

Aurora Healthcare isn't one clinic — it's a national network of 14 hospitals and more than 1,000 licensed mental health beds, including four dedicated addiction and dual diagnosis hospitals. Workers can access care close to site, close to home, or wherever their swing lands them.

Aurora Cloud Clinic

Virtual programs available Australia-wide, incl. Addictions First Steps

Phone: 1800 955 665, Email: practicemanager@auroracloudclinic.com.au 

Currumbin Clinic (Gold Coast, QLD)

37 Bilinga Street, Currumbin QLD 4223

A dedicated addiction and dual diagnosis hospital 10 minutes from Gold Coast Airport, with a dual internal medicine and addiction medicine specialist and a virtual First Steps day program.

Phone: 1800 119 118, Fax: 07 5534 7752, Email: currumbin.admissions@aurorahealth.com.au

Kellyville Private Hospital (Sydney, NSW)

3 McCausland Place, Kellyville NSW 2155, 

Person-centred addiction and mental health care, with a dedicated ward for occupational trauma.

Phone: 1800 965 095, Fax: 02 8883 1834

South Coast Private Hospital (Wollongong, NSW)

112 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500

Inpatient, day patient and outpatient addiction programs, alongside trauma and PTSD-informed care.

Phone: 1800 250 000, Fax: 02 4210 7353, Email: sco.intake@aurorahealth.com.au

Abbotsford Private Hospital (Perth, WA)

61–69 Cambridge Street, West Leederville WA 6007

Western Australia's only dedicated private inpatient addiction hospital, with linked day therapy programs — close to home for WA-based resources workers.

Phone: 0430 709 459, Fax: 08 9381 7681

What we offer FIFO workers

Addiction rarely shows up on its own. Our multidisciplinary teams treat substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions together, with a structured pathway matched to how serious things are.

Rapid inpatient admission

Medically supervised withdrawal management and an addiction program that treats substance use and mental health together.

Dual-qualified specialist care

A dual internal medicine and addiction medicine specialist — one of only a couple in Australia — means complex withdrawal and the physical health conditions common in resources workforces are managed by the same physician as the addiction itself.

Outpatient Allied Health Clinics

Coordinated outpatient and allied health support — psychiatry, internal medicine, addictions specialist care, dietetics and psychology — delivered via telehealth or in person.

Return-to-work support

With the worker's consent, we provide progress and fitness-for-work reporting back to employers, EAPs and occupational physicians.

Evidence-based therapies

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), motivational enhancement and relapse-prevention approaches, with peer-support or 12-step-informed options where appropriate.

Addictions First Steps — Virtual Program (most accessible option for FIFO rosters)

A 10-week virtual group therapy program for people navigating substance use alongside depression, anxiety or PTSD — whatever stage of change they're at, including after a recent lapse. Delivered in real time via secure video conferencing, so treatment travels with the roster instead of competing with it.

Facilitated by Currumbin Clinic, delivered through Aurora Cloud Clinic.

• No inpatient admission required
• No travel or accommodation costs — join from site, camp or home
• Delivered Australia-wide
• Uses CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing and trauma-informed principles
• Accessible via most major private health funds (hospital or day program benefits)
• Referral from an Aurora-credentialed psychiatrist, obtainable via telehealth

Our treatment pathway

• Medically supervised withdrawal
• Inpatient hospital program
• Structured day program
• Step-down and ongoing support

Why it works for FIFO workers

Minimal time away from family

Currumbin Clinic sits 10 minutes from Gold Coast Airport — for FIFO workers and those flying in from other states alike, care doesn't have to eat into R&R.

Recovery that doesn't stop at the gate

Virtual First Steps keeps treatment going through the swing — the gap where relapse risk is highest.

Confidential and independent of the employer

Confidential, employer-independent care supports early self-referral, before a workplace incident forces the issue.

Beyond addiction: mental health and trauma support

Remote, high-risk and safety-critical work brings its own psychological load — and many resources sector workers also carry service or first-responder backgrounds. Aurora's mental health network sits alongside our addiction services, so complexity doesn't mean starting again somewhere else.

• Psychiatry-led, trauma-informed care for PTSD, psychological injury, and mood and anxiety disorders, alongside addiction treatment.
• Dedicated trauma and PTSD-informed programs at several hospitals in the network, including Currumbin Clinic and South Coast Private.
• DVA-approved day therapy programs for workers with a service or ADF background, and partnerships with veteran support organisations.
• Advanced treatment options, including rTMS and Esketamine services, where clinically appropriate.
• Coordinated care beyond the hospital, helping workers transition safely between levels of care and maintain progress after discharge.

How to refer a worker

We welcome enquiries from EAP providers, occupational physicians and fitness-for-work assessors, employers, unions and peer supporters — and from workers and families directly.

1.  GP referral for admission: admission requires a GP referral addressed to the relevant hospital. We'll allocate the next available specialist, or you can nominate one.
2. Enquiry from any pathway: EAPs, occupational physicians, employers, unions and peer supporters can all start an enquiry — our assessments team will guide the worker through the GP referral step.
3. Prompt specialist assessment: once referred, our team arranges specialist assessment promptly and confirms the right level of care — inpatient, day program, or outpatient.
4. Consent-based reporting: with the worker's consent, we provide progress and fitness-for-work reporting back to employers, EAPs and occupational physicians.

Frequently asked questions

What support does Aurora Healthcare offer FIFO workers?

Aurora Healthcare offers rapid inpatient admission for medically supervised withdrawal, a virtual early-recovery day program, dual internal medicine and addiction specialist care, and return-to-work reporting — delivered across a national network of hospitals, including Currumbin Clinic on the Gold Coast.

Do FIFO workers need a GP referral for addiction treatment?

Yes. Admission requires a GP referral addressed to the relevant Aurora hospital. Aurora's assessments team can guide the worker through this step, and EAPs, employers or unions can start the enquiry on the worker's behalf.

Can FIFO workers access treatment while on site or between swings?

Yes. The Addictions First Steps Virtual Program is a 10-week program delivered online through Aurora Cloud Clinic and facilitated by Currumbin Clinic, so workers can continue treatment from site, camp or home, on any roster, without travel or time off for an inpatient stay.

Is addiction treatment confidential and separate from my employer?

Yes. Treatment is confidential and independent of the employer, which supports workers to self-refer early. Progress is only reported back to an employer, EAP or occupational physician with the worker's consent.

Which Aurora Healthcare hospitals treat FIFO and resources workers?

Four hospitals in the Aurora network offer dedicated addiction and dual diagnosis care: Currumbin Clinic (Gold Coast, QLD), Kellyville Private Hospital (Sydney, NSW), South Coast Private Hospital (Wollongong, NSW), and Abbotsford Private Hospital (Perth, WA).

How do employers or EAPs refer a FIFO worker to Aurora Healthcare?

Employers, EAPs, occupational physicians, unions and peer supporters can contact Aurora's assessments team directly, who will guide the worker through the required GP referral and arrange specialist assessment promptly.

Does Aurora Healthcare support mental health and trauma, not just addiction?

Yes. Aurora's mental health network provides psychiatry-led, trauma-informed care for PTSD, psychological injury, and mood and anxiety disorders alongside addiction treatment, including DVA-approved programs for workers with a service or ADF background.