FDS Annual Report 2024/25

19 Family Drug Support expanding reach of support for families… Inner-City Melbourne 'SUPPORT DAY' Workshops: A harm reduction response to overdose for family and community. FDS was proud to lead the newly formed Local Drug Action Team (VIC) Program – Inclusion and Empowerment – in partnership with the City of Melbourne, Co-Health, and Harm Reduction Victoria. This initiative was funded by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF). The Support Day Workshop Series responded to a recent rise in fatal overdoses in the City of Melbourne by increasing access to harm prevention education and training. We set out to strengthen understanding of alcohol and other drug (AOD) related harms, improve help-seeking behaviours, and build confidence among families and friends to effectively respond to an overdose The program officially rolled out in February 2025 and will carry through to October 2025. During this financial year, 2 full day workshops were delivered in a hybrid (in-person and online) format, with 3 more scheduled to run throughout the second half of 2025. These workshops helped to raise awareness about harm prevention strategies and provide access to family-inclusive AOD resources, tailored specifically for the Melbourne City community. Evaluation findings show the workshops are reaching a hidden population of family members many of whom were accessing harm reduction and overdose prevention education for the first time The strongest improvements were in participants’ understanding of and confidence in administering naloxone, alongside increased confidence in seeking both informal and formal support. These outcomes highlight the critical role families play as a vital but often untapped protective factor and demonstrate how family-inclusive harm reduction education can address key knowledge gaps and help prevent drug-related harms before they escalate. SupportLink NT This year Family Drug Support (FDS) was included as a referral service within SupportLink NT, strengthening coordinated pathways for families affected by alcohol and other drug use. SupportLink NT operates as a central referral gateway across priority areas including domestic and family violence, alcohol and other drug dependence, diversion programs, and homelessness, and is used by frontline services, including Northern Territory Police, to connect individuals and families with appropriate support services. FDS’s inclusion extends the organisation’s reach into the Northern Territory, increasing visibility of, and pathways to, family-inclusive support for families across the NT.