FDS Insight Magazine Jun - Sep 2023

14 QLD – Brisbane – 24 February n 24 February 2023, Brisbane IFDSD opened with a very powerful and engaging Welcome to Country at the Premier’s and Speaker’s Hall at Queensland Parliament House. Local emerging Aboriginal leader, Jahmarley Dawson, shared his wisdom with a crowd of over 110 people gathered to support families impacted by substance use. FDS Queensland Clinical Services Manager, Anna Daglish invited nine speakers to the stage to show their support for the themes of the event ‘Support the Family – Improve the Outcome’ and ‘Harm Reduction Keeps Everyone Safe’. Greens MP, Michael Berkman (Maiwar) commenced the speeches with a commentary about the long-term advocacy of FDS and the importance of keeping up the pressure with drug reform. Michael discussed the implications of the ‘Police Powers and Responsibilities and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023’. Thank you, Michael, for your ongoing support of FDS and generous sponsorship of the event. Labour MP Ali King (Pumicestone) acknowledged the efforts of FDS to support families and was explicit in her support of these latest reforms to manage drug use with a health response rather than purely punitive means. Ali spoke of her government’s commitment to follow ‘the science’ and mentioned the inroads that policy and practice are making across the sector. Ali emphasised that the Queensland Government is listening to families, and this latest drug reform reflects that progress. Two family members - Alana and Marzia - shared their personal journeys, through story sharing and poetry, of how the FDS model of support, and workshops, impacted their lives and opened doorways for the importance of self-care, connection and healing within their respective families. Queensland Mental Health Commissioner, Ivan Frkovic, offered a structural, policy analysis to the audience, highlighting the future capacity of the Queensland Government’s ‘Achieving Balance: The Queensland Alcohol and Other Drugs Plan 2022-2027’ and Queensland Health’s ‘Better Care Together: A plan for Queensland’s state-funded mental health, alcohol and other drug services to 2027’ strategic plan. A special thank you to Ivan for supporting FDS over the years. Dr Wendell Rosevear emphasised the importance of equity in healthcare and basic human rights, proposing the imperative of connection, love and kindness as an effective model of care to support people who use drugs. Team Leader James Hoey at Insight Centre for AOD Training, spoke to the history of the Queensland Drug and Alcohol Court, and the impact of diversion programs and therapeutic jurisprudence. We acknowledge Insight’s leadership with education and training in the AOD sector and their contribution to best practice in the field. O