What Experience and Approach Does The Buttery Have in Mental Health and Substance Use Support?

The Buttery has specialised in mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) support since 1973, giving it over 50 years of experience in the field. Its programs are described as evidence-based and representing best practice, and it operates as a charity with a community-focused model of care. If you are looking for a long-established, non-government provider in this space, those are the main credentials to weigh.

Experience: Over 50 Years Since 1973

The Buttery states that it has specialised in caring for and supporting people with mental health issues and alcohol and other drug conditions since 1973. That history is the organisation's central credibility claim — more than five decades of continuous work in the same two areas, rather than a recent addition of mental health or AOD services to a broader offering.

It also frames this as "over 50 years of experience enriching lives," and its CEO, Leone Crayden, has publicly reflected on The Buttery's past 50 years of service and its vision for the future.

Approach: Evidence-Based and Best Practice

The organisation says all of its programs are evidence-based and represent best practice. In practical terms, that is the standard you would want to check when comparing providers: whether the model of care is grounded in recognised treatment approaches rather than informal support alone.

The Buttery's stated focus areas span:

• Drug & Alcohol Services — support for alcohol and other drug conditions
• Mental Health Services — care for people with mental health issues
• Family, Carers & Friends Support — support for the people around the person in treatment
• Youth — programs directed at young people
• Community Participation — involvement in community life
• Redress Support Service — a dedicated support service

The inclusion of family, carers and friends, and of youth-specific programs, indicates an approach that treats recovery as something affecting a wider network, not just the individual.

Charity Model and Community Focus

The Buttery is a charity and states that it relies on the generosity of the community to fulfil its mission. It notes that all donations are tax-deductible and that every dollar makes a difference. This matters for how you read the organisation: it is a community-funded, not-for-profit provider, which is consistent with its community-focused care framing.

If you are evaluating it as a donation recipient or as a service, the charity status and the 50-year track record are the two facts most directly supported by its own materials.

How to Take the Next Step

For program enquiries, The Buttery lists a phone line — 02 6687 1111, available between 9.00am and 4.30pm — and also offers an enquiry form on its site for questions. Contacting them directly is the most reliable way to confirm whether a specific program matches your situation, since eligibility and intake details are not set out in the material summarised here.

One practical note: the site presents itself as a source of help rather than a self-service directory, so expect to speak with someone or submit an enquiry rather than book a program online.