FDS Annual Report 2024/25

29 Winter School Conference 2024 In August 2024, Family Drug Support attended the annual Winter School conference in Queensland. The theme for 2024 was ‘Different Ways of Doing’, showcasing innovation and the possibility of better days across the AOD sector. Queensland Clinical Services Manager Anna Daglish and Cairns Family Support Worker Shammah Ten Hoorn attended the event and networked with other AOD services throughout the two-day conference. Apart from an exciting two days of new learning to take back to the team, a most excellent outcome for FDS included a chance meeting with Regina Colemen from Ngoonbi Community Centre located in Kuranda in Far North Queensland. This random meeting resulted in FDS delivering our community led and co-designed with Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (QAIHC) Stepping Forward information sessions in Kuranda , and now they are taking these wonderful resources out into community on the Tablelands. Safer Choices Family Drug Support Queensland attended the ‘Safer choices: Drug checking insights for families and carers’ event held at the Queensland State Library on 30 May 2025. Presenters included the Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic, Arafmi Peak Body CEO Irene Clelland, QuIHN CEO Geoffrey Davey, The Loop CEO Cameron Francis, Griffith University Researcher Dr Tim Piatkowski, QuiVAA Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Body CEO Emma Kill, and Family Drug Support Queensland State Manager Anna Daglish. A Q & A panel encouraged honest conversations with families and carers which revealed the frustration of system limitation and gave a voice to their ongoing concerns to keep their people safe and alive. Shammah Ten Hoorn, Far North QLD FSW and Anna Daglish QLD State Manager L-R: Cameron Francis, Tim Piatkowski, Anna Daglish, Geoffrey Davey, Emma Kill, Irene Clelland, Sean Popovich (Queensland Mental Health Commission)