Time for Change Survey and Report

37 The Victorian Mental Health Royal Commission revealed that family members and friends faced specific challenges when choosing to remain connected to someone with both mental illness and substance use issues, including: ● Providing high degrees of emotional support ● Managing crises ● Dealing with stigma and isolation ● Supporting care planning ● Maintaining vigilance to prevent self-har m 22 This highlights that the stigma and discrimination associated with AOD use is pervasive, impacting not only the individual but also their family and friends. This stigma is often unconscious and systemic in some settings, underscoring the need for intentional efforts to address its effects. Given these challenges, we recommend that families be provided with increased access to tailored AOD-specialist services that are responsive to their needs. These services should include evidence-informed support, training, and education programs. Government prioritisation of AOD treatment resourcing Overall, 92.8% agreed or strongly agreed that the resourcing of alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia should be an urgent priority for governments. As shown in Figure 15, support was highest among people who identified as a family member of someone who uses drugs (96.0%), followed by professionals (92.6%), people who use drugs (92.4%), friends of people who use drugs (91.0%), and students and/or young people (87.2%). Figure 15. Agreeance with the resourcing of AOD treatment services in Australia as an urgent government priority 22 State of Victoria (2022) ‘Recommendation 31 Supporting families, carers and supporters’, Department of Health . Available here.