Welcome To Family Drug Support
INTRODUCTION
Family
Drug Support was formed in 1997 after its founder Tony
Trimingham lost his son to a heroin overdose. Bereft,
Tony felt frustrated by the general apathy and ignorance
of his own experience. This was also the plight of many
other families. Realising this was but the tip of the
iceberg, a public meeting was called where hundreds of
people attended.
FDS was formed as a result. FDS
is a caring, non-religious and non judgemental organisation.
FDS is primarily made up of volunteers who have experienced
first hand the trauma and chaos of having family members
with drug dependency. They have travelled the same road.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
To
assist families throughout Australia to deal with drug
issues in a way that strengthens relationships and achieves
positive outcomes.
PHILOSOPHY
Our
energies are given in primarily supporting families struggling
as a result of drug use. We aim to assist in any way possible
to empower families to cope with the realisation of their
situation and to survive it intact.
To
this end we offer a seven day, 24 hour telephone line Australia-wide,
manned by volunteers offering help to diffuse crisis, proffering
strategies for coping and giving any information required.
We
believe families are important. They are the ones who understand
their family member more so than anyone else. If left to
work through issues in isolation, families can become exhausted
and give up. However, when supported they can become a vital
force for positive change.
FDS
is committed to working with professional organisations
and forming constructive partnerships.
Armed
with collective wisdom, FDS has adopted a view of harm minimisation.
We aim therefore to reduce the adverse health, social and
economic consequences of drug use for the community and
for the individual.
We
do not condone or encourage illegal behaviour of any kind.
FDS
does, however, have a commitment to the reform of some drug
laws. We believe the use of all drug substances should be
decriminalised. We would like crimes committed as a result
of drug use be carefully assessed and where possible, perpetrators
diverted to treatment and not sentenced to jail.
FDS
has no sympathy or tolerance for major crime i.e. violence/drug
importation. We also believe that legal drugs can be harmful
and abused as well as illicit drugs.
WE BELIEVE...
in
the interpersonal, family, social and political factors
needing to be considered when planning drug prevention and
treatment strategies.
in
real changes occurring when individuals, families and the
community participate in the process.
in
education, health promotion and treatment activities linked
to a continuum of service provisions providing a coherent
and inter-related range of services.
in
encouraging education and treatment, and promoting improved
outcomes for users, their families and the community.
in
contributing to the development and skills of volunteers.
in
working in partnerships with governments and other agencies
to effectively achieve these objectives.
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