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Essential Services for Families at Risk

Services for Families at Risk

Escalating demand and funding pressures will reduce family support

23 February 2026

Escalating demand and funding pressures will reduce family support
Family Drug Support (FDS) is urgently seeking community support to protect essential services for families
affected by alcohol and other drugs, as rising demand and a challenging funding environment place its core
programs at risk.

FDS supports thousands of families each year with its National 24-hour Support Line, support meetings, and
education programs. Its services are often the only place families can turn to during crisis — yet they remain
significantly under-resourced at a time when demand for their support continues to grow.

To ensure these vital supports remain available, FDS has launched an urgent fundraising appeal aimed at
increasing its resources to prevent any reductions in the services relied on by families at risk.

Founded in 1997 by Tony Trimingham OAM and Sandra Trimingham OAM, FDS was created so that no family
would face this journey alone. While their legacy continues to guide the organisation, the immediate priority
is addressing the funding shortfall now threatening essential family-support services across Australia.

FDS CEO, Cigdem Watson, said:
“Families are reaching out to us in greater numbers than ever before. Our team is doing everything
possible to keep the Support Line, meetings and programs accessible, but the reality is we are stretched
thin. In this challenging funding environment, community contributions are critical if we are to continue
meeting the growing demand for our services.”

FDS Board Chair, Dr John Della Bosca AM, said:
“FDS fills a critical gap in Australia’s alcohol and other drug landscape. The shrinking availability of
government funding for services like FDS will hit vulnerable families hard and while we continue to
advocate for more support for families from governments across the country, our best hope now is for the
community to rally with donations to FDS.”

Millions of Australians are affected by alcohol or other drug use each year, and families shoulder much of
the emotional and practical burden. Donations to this initiative directly support the 24/7 Support Line,
local and online support meetings, and education programs, ensuring these services remain accessible.

To donate or learn more about the fundraising initiative, visit fds.org.au

For more information and media enquiries contact:
Cigdem Watson
Email: cigdem@fds.org.au
Phone: 0490 781 927

MEDIA ONLY – INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY
Affected family members supported by Family Drug Support are available for media interviews, subject to
privacy, wellbeing considerations and scheduling.

Media Release - Retirement of Tony Trimingham OAM

Retirement of Tony Trimingham OAM

20 February 2025

The Board of Family Drug Support (FDS) would like to advise all the families, friends and colleagues of FDS that its inspirational founder, Tony Trimingham OAM, has officially retired from the role CEO of the organisation.

While the Board is saddened by Tony’s decision, we do understand that he has made it with best long term interests for FDS and his health.

We could never full detail the incredible level of his achievement in not only starting FDS but growing it into Australia’s only national family organisation for people dealing with substance use issues. This is a model that has now been replicated and utilised around the world including New Zealand, UK, Ireland, USA and countries in South East Asia.

The Board would also like to release the following statement from Tony announcing his retirement and future plans with FDS:

“I have been dealing with a series of health issues that have unfortunately taken its toll on me and my ability to continue as CEO of FDS. However, with the support of the FDS Board, I will not be leaving the FDS family but instead moving to a more suitable role as Patron & Founder of FDS.

This role will allow me to be a part of the important work, growth and promotion of FDS services while also being able to hand the day to day management onto the incredible staff at FDS.

It has been an honour and privilege to help and support so many families over the past 28 years, you have been inspiring and returned that help and support in ways that I could not imagine possible after Damian’s passing.

As I am sure you will all understand that there are far too many people that I have worked with and that have supported me since 1997 than I could ever thank at this time, but I do need to acknowledge the love and support of Sandra and my family since the start of FDS. I simply could not have continued in this role without them and FDS would not be where it is today as Australia’s only national service for families dealing with alcohol and other drug use issues. This is particularly the case for Sandra who has accompanied me on this journey since the start. She also puts up with me every day for which I can never thank her enough.

FDS Submission to the Inquiry into Recognition of Unpaid Carers - 11 Aug 2023

FDS Submission to the Inquiry into Recognition of Unpaid Carers

11 August 2023

Read our submission and support letter to the Unpaid Carers Parliamentary Inquiry here.

A special thank you to the Australian Alcohol and Drugs Council, Victorian Alcohol and Other Drug Association (VAADA), Yarra Drug and Health Forum, Students for Sensible Drug Policy Australia and Harm Reduction Australia for endorsing the submission.

We as a collective believe:

Families affected by the substance use and associated co-occurring needs are a hidden population of carers.
The majority of such family members are female identifying, talking to the gendered nature of unpaid care.
Stigma and discrimination due to drug policies and laws, prevent families from accessing support.
Specialised, tailored programs are needed to adequately respond to the unique experiences of families in this situation.
Investing in support programs for families and carers is progressing gender equity standards throughout Australia.

We acknowledge the often, invisible work of many families who continue to provide their family members with hope and opportunities. This is nothing short of lifesaving work.

Read here: 20231108_-_FDS_Submission_to_the_Inquiry_into_the_recognition_of_unpaid_carers.pdf

Overdose Awareness Day FDS SA - Media Release - 31 Aug 2023

MEDIA RELEASE

31 August 2023

Family Drug Support response to Glenelg Rehab Facility 31 August 2023

Today is Overdose Awareness Day and we would like to remind everyone that community based treatment options are still lacking – a vital component in reducing the harms associated with substance use, including overdose. In SA we are in support of accessible services in our suburbs, including the new residential treatment program in Glenelg that has been targeted by protestors and negative publicity in the last few weeks. Our families are overwhelmingly in support of local services and we are honoured to speak out in support of their needs.

Read_more_-_Overdose_Awareness_Day_-_FDS_SA_-_Response_to_Glenelg_Rehab_Facility_31_August_2023.pdf

International FDS Day Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE

24 February 2022

International Family Drug Support Day 2022

Families Demand Change

Founder and CEO of Family Drug Support (FDS), Tony Trimingham OAM, who started the organisation after the death of his son Damien 25 years ago to the day, said that it was now abundantly clear that the national drug policy debate was missing a critically important voice - families.

Mr Trimingham added, “It appears that everyone has a say on our current drug policies, including politicians, police, religious leaders and media commentators, yet families are too often left out of these discussions, despite being the people, along with the people using drugs, most affected by the current policies.”

“In our recent Voices to be Heard Survey of over 600 family members affected by someone else’s drug and alcohol use, families were unambiguous about their deep dissatisfaction with the status quo regarding drug policy. This was especially the case with the zealousness of government to pursue the punitive responses rather than those of compassion, which are far more effective in reducing harm and exacerbating problems for families.”

In looking at the results of the survey, families overwhelmingly support the following:

Needle & syringe programs (87.5%)
Pill testing services (85.7%)
Pharmacotherapy (methadone, buprenorphine etc.) programs (86.3%)
Medically supervised injecting centres (83.1%)
Medicinal cannabis (83.9%)
Prescription heroin programs (74.8%)

In addition, families wanted to see resources allocated to harm and demand reduction strategies by a factor of almost 7:1 when compared to law enforcement strategies.

The reality being experienced by families from the extraordinarily harmful legal consequences of drug use resulted in families overwhelmingly supporting the legalisation of cannabis and strongly supporting the decriminalisation of all currently illicit drugs.

Furthermore, it is also clear that families often try tough love approaches (60%) when trying to deal with drug and alcohol issues with family members but find them to be ineffective and problematic.

As a result, families become far more in favour of strategies that encourage connection and coping (86%), with as few as 10% continuing to support tough love approaches.

Mr Trimingham said – “It is definitely time for these voices to be heard and for change to happen. Families are demanding reform and governments simply need to start listening”.

A copy of the survey report is available is here.

Mr Trimingham also wanted to thank the many sponsors and supporters that are helping with International Family Drug Support Day and supporting families.

For further information, please contact:

Mr Tony Trimingham
Founder & CEO
Family Drug Support
0412 414 444

Language Matters!

At FDS we have always tried to avoid using negative labels such as junkie, druggie and addict which tend to shame and stigmatised people who use drugs and by association their families. We would rather use terms like person who uses substances, people who use drugs, drug dependant etc.

We also try to avoid using common ideas and concepts which really do not help families deal with substance issues, these include;

‘Rock bottom’ - many people come out of drug use without ever getting close to rock bottom, while unfortunately for some people rock bottom is never a place they come back from. So as an idea it has no logical merit.

‘Clean’ - what people mean when they say clean is when a person hasn't used drugs for a certain amount of time, why not use the actual descriptor ‘not used for 1-2 years etc. The other negative element to this idea, is that whilst they are not using they are clean and if they use again they become dirty.

‘Enabling’ - this is a dreadful label that often gets applied to families that are struggling to keep their family member safe and are applying harm reduction strategies. We reject this idea because we always believe families are always doing the best they can in the circumstances they are in.

When we avoid these labels and concepts, we are showing respect to everyone, which has been proven to have better outcomes than shaming and blaming. Our Stepping Forward program goes into more detail about this, and any queries please contact our support line on 1300 368 186.