Our 'Friendly Ear' Support Services
Worried? About Yourself... Someone Else?
If you feel like a chat, we're here! ADA Australia proudly offers a range of support, information, and referral advice under our 'Friendly Ear' subscription service for clients, workers (and their families).
This service, operated 24/7 by experienced support workers, is a key part of our commitment to you and to the wellbeing of your people.
Confidential support is just a phone call away, when troubled by:
Addictive Behaviors
Worried about alcohol or drug use, or gambling, or family and relationship problems related to these and other addictive behaviours? Call us, we're in 'your corner', and we're all ears.
Experiencing Difficulties
When family, financial or personal problems are spilling over – whether due to substance misuse, dependency, gambling or other problems impacting on your life - there is another way. We're here to listen, we can help.
Living With Anxiety
Living with anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm and other concerns around your mental health? Know that you don't need to feel that way; we can get you started back to good health and happiness.
Worried About Others
For those living with others (loved ones, family members, or close friends) or worried about others who may be experiencing difficulties, well, we're ready to listen, why not call us for a chat?
ADA Friendly Support Services
- Our 1800 number (supplied to you), operated 24/7 – any hour, any day - is manned by qualified and experienced support workers.
- This support is available to all ADA Australia clients: to company employees, contractors, casual staff, trainees, apprentices and others. It is also available free of charge to their families.
- Speak to us for more information.
Our Commitment
- Our commitment is to always have the client's health and wellbeing - and their needs - as our absolute priority.
- The interventions, referrals and assistance provided for drug, alcohol, depression, anxiety and mental health disorders are always governed by the caller's situation and their needs.
- Our aim is to be both familiar and trusted - like a "phone a friend" helpline - by those reaching for support.
Service Includes
'Friendly Ear' Direct Helpline
Available 24/7 - any hour, any day - our Friendly Ear direct helpline is operated by experienced support workers. While appropriately qualified, our people have 'been there', our Friendly Ear operators have their own lived experience of drug/alcohol dependence, and of mental health disorder. They bring a special understanding to this support service.
Addiction and Mental Health Recovery Support
On-going phone support and assistance in accessing clinical interventions, such as drug or alcohol detox and rehabilitation services, men's behavioural change programs, and trauma counselling. We have close relationships with major rehabilitation centres in Australia.
Family Support
ADA Australia's Friendly Support Services helpline is also a touchpoint for partners, families and others living with, and impacted by, a loved one's addiction or mental health challenges.
Toolbox Talks
We can come to you and present to your employees. Using personal lived experience of battles with long-term addiction and mental health, we share our journey of recovery and deliver a message of hope.
'Friendly Ear' Direct Helpline
Available 24/7 - any hour, any day - our Friendly Ear direct helpline is operated by experienced support workers. While appropriately qualified, our people have 'been there', our Friendly Ear operators have their own lived experience of drug/alcohol dependence, and of mental health disorder. They bring a special understanding to this support service.
Addiction and Mental Health Recovery Support
On-going phone support and assistance in accessing clinical interventions, such as drug or alcohol detox and rehabilitation services, men's behavioural change programs, and trauma counselling. We have close relationships with major rehabilitation centres in Australia.
Family Support
ADA Australia's Friendly Support Services helpline is also a touchpoint for partners, families and others living with, and impacted by, a loved one's addiction or mental health challenges.
Toolbox Talks
We can come to you and present to your employees. Using personal lived experience of battles with long-term addiction and mental health, we share our journey of recovery and deliver a message of hope.
Key Features
Anonymity Assured
Callers to the service can speak anonymously - they need not identify themselves nor place of work, company or organisation (but many are comfortable to provide a first name).
Confidentiality Assured
Anything discussed or disclosed is fully protected by the therapeutic relationship - our operators are ethically, professionally and legally bound to respect confidentiality. Information will NEVER be shared without an individual's full knowledge and consent. (The instances where an Operator is legally required to report/share information is when a person has threatened harm to themselves, harm to another, or in situations involving danger, abuse or potential risk to a child.)
For Crisis Calls
Our operators are trained to correctly manage the situation and to respond appropriately (and, if concerned for the caller's immediate welfare, to take quick action to access emergency assistance through 000).
Common questions about our support service
If your question is not here, please call us directly — our line is always answered.
Qualified and experienced support workers — most with their own lived experience of mental health, addiction, or family struggle alongside their professional training. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Nothing for clients of an ADA Australia training program — the support line, including all follow-up and referral, is provided free to the company employees, contractors, trainees, apprentices, and family members of any organisation we have trained.
Yes. Calls are not reported back to your employer, your manager, or anyone else. There are a few limited exceptions that apply to any support service: if there is an immediate, credible risk of harm to you or someone else we may contact emergency services; if a child is at risk of significant harm we may be required to notify child protection authorities; and we may disclose information where the law requires it. See our Privacy Policy for more detail.
Yes. The service is available free of charge to the immediate family of any ADA training client. Many calls come from a partner or parent who is worried about a loved one and not sure where to start.
Anything you're worried about — alcohol or drug use, gambling, depression, anxiety, thoughts of self-harm, family or relationship strain, or just a hard week. The line is also for people worried about a colleague, partner, or family member who is struggling.
Friendly Ear is a listening + early-intervention service, not a crisis hotline. If you are in immediate danger or having thoughts of harming yourself, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 000 — both are also free, both are 24/7, and we'll always make sure you're connected to the right service.
After listening, our support worker will help map out next steps — whether that's a referral to a GP, a specialist counselling or AOD service, your EAP if you have one, or simply scheduling a follow-up call to check in. We don't leave people hanging.
The free 1800 service is reserved for ADA training clients and their families. If your workplace has not yet engaged ADA, please call Lifeline (13 11 14), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636), or 000 in an emergency — and ask your HR team about training partnerships.
Stay In The Loop
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."