Family Drug Support Australia
Support Line: 1300 368 186
(available 24 hours 7 days a week)
(available 24 hours 7 days a week)
2020 Remembrance Ceremony
Family Drug Support is doing an online video Remembrance Ceremony, as we could not hold our normal ceremony in the Ashfield Unity Church. We welcome you to watch the video and light a candle in memory of someone lost.
If you would like a name added to the FDS website Memorial Page, please contact the FDS office on 02 4782 9222.
FDS updated regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
We are following each State Government recommendations, we are now starting to open up our: Support Groups, Stepping Forward Sessions and Stepping Stones weekend courses.
Please click on the Meetings & Events menu button at the top of this home page.
If there is a delay on your local Support Group resuming, please refer to our website. Here you can find resources, tools and online videos which will you will find beneficial. Family Drug Support Online for Families: http://www.fdsonline.org.au Interactive tool based on a typical support group Please also call our 24/7 Phone Support: 1300 368 186
FDS Volunteer Testimonial
Interviews with family members and FDS CEO
Stages of Change preview - Stepping Forward Session
Presented by Chrissie Kelly from Family Drug Support.
In this video Chrissie Kelly, Queensland State Manager, Family Drug Support explains the work of Family Drug support and discusses the stages of change for families model. This model can be helpful for families to understand where they are at on their journey and start to learn how to cope depending on what stage they may be at.Learn More
Donate & help Family Drug Support
Family Drug Support online for families
FDS 1 to 1 online sessions
FDS Search
Media Release
An FDS COVID-19 Response
National Leadership by Innovation Continues
Co-Founder and CEO of Family Drug Support (FDS), Tony Trimingham OAM, who started the organisation after encountering a lack of services for families following the death of his son Damien 23 years ago has announced a new innovative initiative to assist families: “In supporting families with alcohol and other drugs issues, FDS has been given the opportunity to gain an incredible depth of understanding and insight into the needs of family members over the past 23 years.
National Leadership by Innovation Continues
Co-Founder and CEO of Family Drug Support (FDS), Tony Trimingham OAM, who started the organisation after encountering a lack of services for families following the death of his son Damien 23 years ago has announced a new innovative initiative to assist families: “In supporting families with alcohol and other drugs issues, FDS has been given the opportunity to gain an incredible depth of understanding and insight into the needs of family members over the past 23 years.
Why tough love has no place in the FDS model
There is often a debate on ‘tough love’ as an effective strategy for families dealing with alcohol and other drug issues. At FDS we believe that applying punitive strategies is not really effective and, in some cases, may lead to more problems than solutions. ‘Tough love’ has been not supported by treatment services and experts around the world.
We hear you - Families matter during COVID 19
At Family Drug Support Australia the health and wellbeing of family members is paramount. In the ever-changing climate of COVID-19 the uncertainty is real, and for a family member supporting someone with a drug and/or alcohol dependence, the challenges they face have been exacerbated with limited access to services and means of support.
Media
- abc.net.au - Campaigner who lost his son to heroin calls for radical overhaul of drugs policy (24 Feb 16)
- FDS -
Remembering Lives Lost – Families Come Together - (18 Jul 15) - smh.com.au - Families need to be at centre of ‘Ice’ strategy - (10 Apr 15)
Items of Interest
- ‘Half a Million Steps’ documentary that was produced by Uniting and has been shown all over NSW/ACT and now available to view online at https://www.fairtreatment.org/
. This is a powerful documentary portraying the difficulties for people living in rural NSW to receive treatment for drug dependency. Several people take the journey on foot from Dubbo to Sydney to show how far people need to travel for treatment. Compelling stories are told along the way. Marianne Jauncey, director of the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Sydney is the narrator. - Breaking the Ice in our community
- From Senator Richard Di Natale:
Parliamentary Drug Summit, Wednesday 2nd March, 2016 - Family Drug Support Day will be held on the 24th of February of each year beginning in 2016
- Harm Reduction Australia - (HRA) was launched at Parliament House in Canberra. (26 Nov 15)
- Ampuni (Mercy) Concert and Vigil - Federation Square, Melb. (18 Feb 15)
- News.com.au - Tony Trimingham: Why the worst thing that could happen to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran is their execution (27 Jan 15)
- Compassion for Bali nine on death row: Audio - Video - (21 Jan 15)
- INTERVIEW WITH DR. DAVID CALDICOTT (16 Sep 14)
- A LETTER TO FAMILY & FRIENDS
- EVIDENCE ON THE VALUE OF FAMILY SUPPORT MEETINGS
- Tony's latest book - NOT MY FAMILY, NEVER MY CHILD
- A GUIDE TO COPING HANDBOOK