A new family and carer drug support service will provide face-to-face, online education and support for families impacted by an individual’s use of alcohol and other drugs.
The ACT Government has provided $220,000 to launch a 12-month pilot program. The service will be delivered by Family Drug Support who have been involved in the ACT for more than 20 years and have strong connections with the ACT’s alcohol and other drug service sector.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the new service is part of the ACT Government’s strong commitment to working with people with lived experience to deliver services and programs that will make a real difference.
“The use of alcohol and other drugs not only impacts an individual, but their family, friends and carers. We heard from the community that a dedicated service was needed to provide more support to those who are impacted by a loved one’s drug usage.
“Family Drug Support has successfully delivered alcohol, tobacco and other drug support services to families and communities across Australia and provides access to ongoing support programs that have been specifically tailored to the needs of families and people impacted by drugs and alcohol,” said Minister Stephen-Smith.
In addition to Family Drug Support’s online resources and national helpline, the organisation will deliver workshops, support groups and training to individuals and community groups in the ACT.
The ACT Government has also committed more than $13 million in the 2022-23 Budget to support the alcohol, tobacco and other drugs sector and services in the ACT.
This is in addition to the almost $20 million the ACT Government has invested in the previous three years to improve drug and alcohol services for the community.
The new service is an initiative under the ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026, which aims to ensure a safe, healthy and resilient Canberra community by reducing drug and alcohol related harms experienced by individuals, their families and communities.
“The ACT Government is committed to investing in evidence-based and practice-informed harm minimisation responses to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
“We will continue to work with advocates, community groups, experts and people with lived experience to improve outcomes for those who use alcohol and other drugs, their families and the Canberra community,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.
Quotes attributable to Tony Trimingham, CEO of Family Drug Support:
“This announcement is so welcome and will enable us to establish a team in the ACT to deliver our services directly to families affected by alcohol and other drugs.
“We currently receive more than 400 calls per year from ACT to our national support line. We will be able to reach more with this funding. We also look forward to delivering our Stepping Stones course to ACT families.
“The ACT Government is the most progressive in Australia in its approach to drug policy. We feel privileged to be working with them.”
