Resources
A collection of resources from and for the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector.
Credit to all relevant organisations that these resources are re-published from. Make sure to visit their websites for up to date information on their projects, events or campaigns.
Are you the Forum’s next Executive Officer?
Do you have the skills and passion to lead a small community-based organisation? YDHF is widely recognised as the foremost community-based forum that works with a broad range of stakeholders to reduce drug related harms in the City of Yarra.…
YDHF Community Network Forum – Monday 16 September 12-1:30pm
Are Harm Reduction Workers allowed to Administer Naloxone? Speakers: Professor Paul Dietze – Burnet Institute Andrea Fischer - cohealth Shelley Cogger – North Richmond Community Health Richie Goonan – Youth Projects Sione Crawford – Harm Reduction Victoria Location: Room 050, North Richmond Community…
YDHF International Overdose Awareness Day BBQ event – Monday 26 August 12:30pm
International Overdose Awareness Day BBQ event Monday 26th August, 12:30pm Collingwood Neighbourhood House Yarra Drug and Health Forum invites you to join us for a lunchtime BBQ to acknowledge International Overdose Awareness Day. An event to honour loved ones lost…
YDHF Community Forum – Monday 15 July 12 – 1:30pm
Progress of the Public Intoxication Reform (PIR) This forum will provide an update on the progress of the implementation of the Public Intoxication Reform process with a focus on the Metropolitan area. Speakers will provide an overview of their agency's…
Yarra Drug & Health Forum Annual General Meeting – Tuesday 25th June 3-5pm
Join us for our annual general meeting to hear a wrap up of another year for Yarra Drug and Health Forum. Chair of the executive committee, Peter Wearne will reflect on the Forum’s work over the past 12 months. This…
YDHF Community Network Forum: Monday 22 April 12-1:30pm
YDHF Community Network Forum: Monday 22 April 12-1:30pm Speaker: Aiv Puglielli – Greens Member for North East Metropolitan Region Parliament of Victoria Title: Drug Checking: An update from inside state parliament Aiv will provide his insight into what has changed…
YDHF Community Network Forum: Monday 19 February 12 – 1:30pm
YDHF Community Network Forum: Public Amenity and the North Richmond Medically Supervised Injecting Room Speaker: Bianca Whiteside, PhD candidate, Deakin University and Burnet Institute. Background: Bianca Whiteside, PhD candidate, Deakin University and Burnet Institute will present on her ongoing research at…
YDHF Community Network Forum: Monday 20th November 12-1:30pm
YDHF’s next Community Network Forum will feature the recently funded AOD Outreach and Community Engagement program in North Richmond. Come along to learn about North Richmond Community Health’s new outreach service that will engage and respond to the needs of…
YDHF Community Network Forum: Monday 16th October 12-1:30pm
What are the challenges for the AOD sector in providing culturally responsive services for CALD communities? Date: Monday 16th October 12pm - 1:30pm. Speakers: Eddie Micallef, Chairperson Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria Mukhtar Mohammed, Coordinator Muslim Connect, Islamic Council of…
Want a healthier, safer CBD? Open an overdose prevention centre
It’s been more than three years since the Victorian Government announced it would establish an overdose prevention service in Melbourne’s CBD. It is time to honour this commitment. Please sign this petition and show your support for a supervised injecting…
International Overdose Awareness Day BBQ
Yarra Drug and Health Forum invites you to join us for a lunchtime BBQ to acknowledge International Overdose Awareness Day. An event to honour loved ones lost and dearly missed and to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma…
YDHF Community Network Forum: 17th of July 2023
Time: Monday 17th July @ 12pm - 1:30pm. Address: North Richmond Community Health Centre, 23 Lennox Street Room 050. Our next community network forum is on Monday the 17th of July at…
Review of the Medically Supervised Injecting Room – The Final Report
On Thursday the 27th of April 2023, the Yarra Drug and Health Forum hosted a lunch time event to discuss the Review of the Medically Supervised Injecting Room – The Final Report The independent review panel, chaired by John Ryan,…
Fiona Patten: what are our biggest challenges for drug reform?
On Thursday March 30th, The Yarra Drug and Health Forum hosted special guest Fiona Patten, two-term Member of the Victorian Legislative Council, leader of the Reason Party and long-term advocate for drug law reform. YDHF Executive member, former Victorian Senator…
Looked after, not locked up: Sobering Up Service hits its stride
A Sobering Up Service (SUS) in Yarra is ensuring people who are heavily intoxicated in public are looked after by health professionals.A new trial of a Sobering Up Service (SUS) in Yarra is already showing results, supporting people in Yarra…
International Overdose Awareness Day RALLY #DrugDecrim to #EndOverdose
On the steps of Parliament House, Spring St/Bourke St Melbourne Every year, thousands of Australians die from drug-related overdose. Thousands more are imprisoned because of personal drug use.We have the right to live free from stigma and free from fear.…
Beyond the Stigma – Laneway Light exhibition
This International Overdose Awareness Day cohealth is creating a light projection installation in the CBD. From 25–31 August a city laneway will be lit up with images and artworks created by people who have a lived experience of drug dependence,…
Exhibition by MSIR Artists – Launch
Residents for Victoria Street Drug Solutions (RVSDS) warmly invites you to the launch of the final, exciting event of its Victoria Street Alive! 2021-22 community projects series. Victoria Street Alive! has focused on developing and implementing arts and cultural events and activities in Victoria Street,…
Meet the YDHF Executive Committee – Saade Melki
YDHF Proudly Supporting ‘My Community’ exhibition
Victoria Street Alive! is a project from Victoria Street Drug Solutions, featuring a program of arts and cultural events and activities in Victoria Street, highlighting the voice of young people, artists + creators, and the disadvantaged. My Community is a…
Double feature showing of The Fix & Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis with Austin Butler (Drug Policy Australia)
Join Johann Hari at the Astor Theatre for a night of enlightenment and entertainment. Drug Policy Australia is screening the Australian Premier of The Fix narrated by Samuel L Jackson and the much-anticipated new release Hollywood blockbuster movie Elvis. The Fix is based on Johann Hari’s 'Chasing…
Volunteer Coordinator (Paid Role) – Community Exhibition
Reporting to a project team, the Volunteer Coordinator will manage a team of volunteers who will be in attendance at the public art exhibition (the project) on a rostered basis from 3 - 27 June 2022. THIS ROLE IS REQUIRED…
Families Support Caring and Supportive Initiatives for Loved Ones
https://youtu.be/77aIUlOqGGE An excerpt from an interview with Family Drug Support Victorian Project Officer Chloe Span. Chloe talks about the results from FDS's Time For Change report, finding that families overwhelmingly support caring and supportive models over punitive models when assisting…
Family Drug Support’s Time for Change Report with Chloe Span
Victorian Project Officer for Family Drug Support (FDS) Chloe Span speaks with Nick Wallis from the Yarra Drug & Health Forum about some of the findings in their survey, 'Time for Change - Voices to be Heard' https://youtu.be/fVvpInZfx1w You can…
Families & The AOD System with Family Drug Support
Families want change in drug policy. They are smart, informed and impatient for a health-based response. There is strong support for a reform agenda around drug policy which better reflects the knowledge and work of families in supporting their loved…
The Quiet Drug Crisis | ABC Background Briefing with YDHF Executive Members
ABC Radio National - Broadcast: Sun 27 Mar 2022, 8:05am YDHF Executive Committee members Adam Willson and Saade Melki spoke with Background Briefing's Mahmood Fazal on drugs in prisons. People in prisons face complex issues with drug use and dependence and…
Drug decriminalisation in Victoria – Fiona Patten speaks with the YDHF
YDHF Chairperson Peter Wearne and executive member Nick Wallis speak with Fiona Patten MLC about her Bill to decriminalise drug use and possession in Victoria and allow for treatment and education orders instead of charges. https://youtu.be/UMjhXIp4ZBg View the Drugs, Poisons…
The Decriminalisation of Drugs legislation – Let’s talk about this | LIVE EVENT
YMHA Terms of Reference
April 2012 amended February 2021 Statement of Purpose:“The Yarra Mental Health Alliance fosters trust and honesty amongst its members and meetings provide a reflective safe space to share and learn about what is happening within the sector.” Aim:The Yarra Mental…
March 2022 | Service Providers Forum – POSTPONED
*Please note, March date postponed until April. Our first forum for 2022 will be a broad-ranging discussion with service-providers from across the Harm Reduction and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector. There is no special guest speaker, as our special…
Drug Prohibition Perpetuates Harmful Stigma and Discrimination
https://youtu.be/MY7AgEu-86w An excerpt from our November 2021 Annual Meeting, featuring a special guest presentation from Sione Crawford, Executive Officer at Harm Reduction Victoria. Sione highlights a recent prohibition campaign from the Australian Federal Police as an example of stigmatising and…
Farewell and Thank You Bernadette Burchell
https://youtu.be/e-aqkG_-Z0o An excerpt from our November 2021 Annual Meeting, which featured a special guest presentation from Sione Crawford, Executive Officer at Harm Reduction Victoria. Bernadette Burchell is finishing up with the Yarra Drug & Health Forum after two years leading…
Thank You Bernadette
Peter Wearne, YDHF Executive Chairperson On behalf of the Executive of the Yarra Drug and Health Forum, I would like to formally acknowledge the work and leadership of our departing Executive Officer, Ms Bernadette Burchell. It has been 2 years…
Executive Committee Appointment
The Forum welcomes Yasmin Karaata to the Executive Committee. https://ydhf.org.au/staff-member/yasmin-karaata/
12 Point Plan -> Forward!
Advocate for law reform - decriminalize drug use, legalize heroin, look to the story of PortugalAdvocate for a heroin prescribing trial in Yarra/Melbourne, advocate for Cities of Yarra and Melbourne to endorse/advocate for such a serviceAdvocate for more and better…
SHARC | Coming Together: Shared conversations with the Lived and Living Experience Workforces in the mental health and AOD sectors
Funded by the Victorian Department of Health and co-hosted by the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) and the Centre for Mental Health Learning Supported by the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC), The Carer Lived Experience Workforce Network (CLEW) and more. It’s…
A public health response to public drinking is about community talking and listening
https://youtu.be/yI2dpcABJR8 An excerpt from our August 2021 forum on Law to Regulate Public Drinking. Professor Rob Moodie, Deputy Director Faculty of Health University of Melbourne touches on evidence based health approaches to public drinking, including the importance of community talking…
VICTORIA – Stepping Forward Online
Is someone in your family taking drugs or alcohol? Are you looking for practical, down to earth information and support? About this event SATURDAY November 13th 2021 | 10AM FREE online education session for families and friends, delivering useful information…
Turning Point presents: Dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance use disorder
REGISTER at EVENTBRITE Mental illness and substance use disorder frequently co-occur, and this co-occurrence is commonly referred to as 'dual diagnosis'. Treatment and health outcomes experienced by people with dual diagnosis is an internationally recognised evidence gap. Despite emerging international…
2021 ANNUAL MEETING
https://youtu.be/2GMZNcnKX6c Harm Reduction Victoria's Executive Officer Sione Crawford will speak on the topic of stigma and discrimination experienced by people who use drugs. Join us for our annual meeting to hear our wrap of another strange but successful year for…
Film and panel event – Medicating Normal
NOVEMBER 17TH 2021 | 11AM - 1PM Join Reconnexion and NPS Medicinewise for a virtual community screening of Medicating Normal, a 76-minute documentary film that follows the stories of five high-functioning people whose doctors prescribed pills to help with common problems such as stress, mild depression,…
Consumer Participation and Lived Experience Project – Consumer Focus Groups
Via VAADA E-News In each area of Melbourne, as well as Victoria more broadly, alcohol and other drug (AOD) services work together to identify service gaps, barriers and strategies to improve the AOD treatment system. A group of agencies across…
Notes from our October 2021 meeting
Comments: Kevan (NEXUS) observed that front line community mental health workers haven’t been as engaged as AOD in the consultation/design process of the integrated system to date. Concern was expressed that AOD services are just going to be inserted into…
Peer workers do important work
An excerpt from our March 2021 community forum. https://youtu.be/fwTNZrjQ7OQ Sione Crawford, Executive Officer at Harm Reduction Victoria https://ydhf.org.au/events/ydhf-march-forum/
YDHF December Community Forum
https://youtu.be/NryERvNMeOI YDHF have made it a priority to proactively engage in work and discussions to address the stigma and discrimination experienced by people who use drugs. The December forum of YDHF will look at the stigma and discrimination experienced by…
#IOAD21 and the Campaign for an Injecting Room
https://youtu.be/cB8cyIA5Ow4 Judy Ryan speaks on International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 Thank you to everyone who remembers those lost and works toward a post-stigma world that addresses overdose as a public health issue. https://ydhf.org.au/events/international-overdose-awareness-day-2021/
Yarra Mental Health Alliance – Mental Health Week Event
Law making around alcohol consumption in public spaces
The City of Yarra has proposed a revised local law to manage the public consumption of alcohol after a two-year process of consultation and review with stakeholders. The Yarra Drug and Health Forum has been represented on a Council convened…
LIVED (AND LIVING) EXPERIENCE OF INJECTING DRUG USE
NOMINEES TO THE YARRA DRUG AND HEALTH FORUM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The YDHF Executive Committee is seeking the participation of 2 people with lived (or living) experience of injecting drug use in the City of Yarra (Collingwood, Richmond, Fitzroy) on the…
Submissions for #IOAD2021
What does International Overdose Awareness Day mean to you?This is a call out to you to participate in the Yarra Drug and Health Forum event in 2021 tocommemorate International Drug Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) by recording yourself answeringthat question and…
Victorian Inquiry Points Path Toward Cannabis Legalisation
https://youtu.be/vxJEycFnh20 An excerpt from our special August 2021 forum, The Future of Cannabis in Victoria with Chair of the Committee, Fiona Patten MLC and leader of the Reason Party TWITTER https://twitter.com/FionaPattenMLC WATCH FULL FORUM https://ydhf.org.au/events/the-future-of-cannabis-in-victoria/
Police Cells are not Safe Places for Aboriginal People
https://youtu.be/jp8XQ2JqPds An excerpt from our August 2021 forum, Laws to Regulate Public Drinking with Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) – George Selvanera, Acting CEO MORE DETAILS https://ydhf.org.au/events/laws-to-regulate-public-drinking/
Laws to Regulate Public Drinking
Pros, Pitfalls, Evidence and Alternatives https://youtu.be/4bzmWz-N0Vs An opportunity for the community to hear from health expert Dr Rob Moodie about evidence-based health approaches to issues associated with the public consumption of alcohol, and some key stakeholders in the City of…
The loudness of a voice does not indicate its prevalence
An excerpt from our November 2020 end of year wrap community forum. https://youtu.be/dxDcdBYmlZY Jon Faine Melbourne lawyer, broadcaster, writer, MC & public speaker https://twitter.com/FaineJon https://ydhf.org.au/events/2020-annual-meeting-with-jon-faine/
The Coming Changes to Mental Health Treatment in Victoria
An excerpt from our June community forum, Reflections on the Royal Commission into Mental Health https://youtu.be/8I6undkd6cg https://ydhf.org.au/events/reflections-on-the-royal-commission-into-mental-health/ Dr. Neil Coventry is Victoria's Chief Psychiatrist
The Future of Cannabis in Victoria
https://youtu.be/cuVLDBeIZfo The Inquiry into Use of Cannabis in Victoria's report was tabled on Thursday the 5th of August. INQUIRY INTO THE USE OF CANNABIS IN VICTORIA Beginning all the way back in May of 2019, the Legislative Council agreed to…
International Overdose Awareness Day 2021
WATCH HERE Live 7:30pm, Monday September 6th NEW DATE - Live event postponedDue to unforeseen circumstances, we will now be hosting our IOAD event on Monday the 6th of September at 7:30pm. We’re inviting you to join our live stream…
INQUIRY INTO USE OF CANNABIS IN VICTORIA
The power of connection
https://youtu.be/C_gyPm5jvuE An excerpt from our November 2019 forum, back when in-person events were still possible and Covid-19 hadn't yet appeared on the radar. Kim Sykes is the former CEO of Bendigo Community Health and reflects on the mental and physical…
Courting Drugs – Punishment or Opportunity?
In this forum, we focus in on the role of the courts in matters concerning substance use. Our guest speakers will discuss the different approaches to justice being explored and that need to be explored in Victoria. We will hear…
End overdose. Promote health and human rights #IHRD2021
https://youtu.be/ZfraAAfzV8w The 7th of May is International Harm Reduction Day, where we promote evidence based public health policy, practices and human rights to end overdose and signficantly reduce drug harm. Mick Clear spoke at our International Overdose Awareness Day event…
Paul Dietze on COVID-19 and drug use
https://youtu.be/-aqBLBuADcc Professor Paul Dietze An excerpt from our December 2020 end of year forum. https://ydhf.org.au/events/december-2020-meeting-impacts-and-opportunities-of-covid-19/ Professor Paul Dietze is one of Australia’s leading alcohol and other drug epidemiologists and speaks here about recent research into changing drug use patterns during…
Stigma in the media
https://youtu.be/K4GvFwf49Ac Dr. Liam Engel An excerpt from our April 2021 forum 'Drugs, Stigma and the Media' https://ydhf.org.au/events/drugs-stigma-and-the-media/ Dr. Liam Engel is an adjunct research fellow at Edith Cowan University and talks about the role of stigma in perpetuating and fostering…
Why is the Herald Sun obsessed with Medically Supervised Injection? (AOD Media Watch)
Why a new CBD drug room would ‘take people off the streets’ (3AW)
Forum chairperson Peter Wearne spoke with 3AW's Tom Elliott about the future for medically supervised injecting centres in Melbourne. Listen to the full discussion at their website. https://www.3aw.com.au/why-a-new-cbd-drug-room-would-take-people-off-the-streets/
International Harm Reduction Day 2021
https://youtu.be/ZfraAAfzV8w Today is International Harm Reduction Day, where we promote evidence based public health policy, practices and human rights to end overdose and signficantly reduce drug harm. https://twitter.com/cohealth_au/status/1390428230641803264 https://twitter.com/YarraDrugForum/status/1390504664949411843 https://twitter.com/ihrdmay Mick Clear spoke at our International Overdose Awareness Day event last year about…
Stigma and discrimination experienced by people who use drugs
Why does it matter? People who use drugs are often prevented from recognizing that they have an issue with their substance use due to the effects of stigma and discrimination. This causes people to avoid accessing harm reduction support or…
Reflections on the Royal Commission into Mental Health
The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System delivered its final report on 3 February 2021 and it was tabled in Parliament by the Victorian Government on 2 March 2021. The work of the Commission has now concluded. https://youtu.be/abIuhj5RAus SPEAKERS:Dr…
Alcohol and other drugs: Stigma
Find Alcohol and Drug Foundation's publications, including stigma, Prevention Research, factsheets, booklets, infographics and Annual Reports.
Drugs, Stigma and the Media
SPEAKERS:- Dr. Liam Engel, Adjunct Research Fellow at Edith Cowan University- Judy Ryan, North Richmond resident and community activist Yarra Drug & Health Forum invite you to our interactive community forum, this month focused on stigma and discrimination experienced by…
International Family Drug Support Day 2021
The 24th of February 2021 marks International Family Drug Support Day. This is a non-partisan event reflecting the widespread support for families dealing with drug use issues that exist across all political parties and the community. This year's theme is…
International Family Drug Support Day Media Release
On the eve of International Family Drug Support Day (24 February) with the theme 'Family Connection not Tough Love', an alliance of community organisations is speaking out against drug dependence stigma and pointing out the futility of ‘tough love’ approaches…
December 2020 Meeting – Impacts and Opportunities of COVID-19
https://youtu.be/Q-1GCpPsCNk Topic: Impacts of Covid on drug markets, drug use patterns and drug related harms. Professor Paul Dietze Program Director, Behaviours and Health Risks Burnet Institute Professor Paul Dietze is one of Australia’s leading alcohol and other drug epidemiologists with a…
2020 Annual Meeting with Jon Faine
https://youtu.be/stYXOqdX728 Broadcaster, lawyer and journalist Jon Faine joins the forum today to look back at the strange year that was 2020 and ask - What does community look like in a post covid world? We say thank you and goodbye…
Turning Point Research -Lived Experience – Public Drunkenness
INTRODUCTIONLaws making public drunkenness an offence have been repealed in most English-speaking countries and most states of Australia, although not in Queensland and Victoria. The Premier of Victoria has committed to decriminalising public drunkenness and to developing and implementing a…
International Overdose Awareness Day Online Forum – Compassion Not Judgement
Multicultural Drug and Alcohol Partnership
https://www.ceh.org.au/multicultural-drug-alcohol-partnership-mdap/ The Multicultural Alcohol and Drug Partnership (MDAP) aims to support young people from the South Sudanese community who are experiencing harm from alcohol and drug use. The program is focused on working with young people, their families and the…
Professor Margaret Hamilton presents on the MSIR Review to the community
Looking out for the health of people who inject drugs is a complex task for health services in the context of criminalised and stigmatized drug use. Such was the health crisis in North Richmond over several years with heroin overdose…
Medically supervised injecting room trial – Review panel summary
Health.vic.gov.au | Medically supervised injecting room trial - Review panel summary In June 2018 Minister for Mental Health Martin Foley appointed me to chair a panel to review and provide a report on the trial of Victoria’s medically supervised injecting…
MSIR preventing overdoses and saving lives
Congratulations to the independent Review Panel led by Professor Margaret Hamilton on the report on the first 18 months of operation of the first Medically Supervised Injecting Room (MSIR) established in Melbourne in North Richmond by the North Richmond Community…
Diversity, conflict and the power of story: Community Forum 1 June 2020
Urban planners Andrea Cooke and Imogen Carr presented on the concept of storytelling as a means of encounter between disparate groups in the community and the experiment of providing a mediated “storytelling as encounter” experience in the Victoria Street North…
Keep the MSIR and improve residential amenity
The Forum is committed to supporting the community to understand and address alcohol and drug related issues as primarily health issues and to work together to develop evidence-based services and strategies aimed at reducing harms associated with alcohol and drug…
Invitation to South Sudan Voice online event
Join South Sudan Voice’s Zoom dialogue on Thursday, May 7, from 4-5.30pm to participate in the new Digital Drama Series, Where Are You Now. In response to the lockdown situation, the dialogue theatre project has been developed into an online…
get tested for coronavirus
If you have even mild flu or cold like symptoms free testing for coronavirus is available at cohealth. In the City of Yarra testing is available between 29 April – 8 May 2020 at the cohealth site at 365 Hoddle…
Yarra City Council coronavirus response
Visit the following link for information and updates on Yarra City Council coronavirus response https://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/the-area/community-safety-and-wellbeing/coronavirus-updates
Penington Institute surveys the effects of the pandemic on drug use and drug markets
A lot has been written about the potential effects of COVID-19 on drug use and the drug market in Australia. However, there hasn’t yet been much done to understand what is actually happening. Penington Institute is trying to change that…
Community forums go online
We are piloting our first on line monthly forum on Monday 3 May 12:30-2:00pm with a great topic : Peer Work and Harm Minimisation in the Context of Criminalised Drug Use and a great line up of speakers providing research,…
Coroner Inquest | Tanya Day
Justice for Tanya Day - Remember Her Name Help Tanya Day’s family honour the legacy of their mother. Sign up now to send a message to the Victorian Government to change Victoria’s destructive public drunkenness laws and create genuine community…
COVID19 – April Meeting Cancelled
The community information lunch planned for Monday 6 April has been cancelled as part of managing community safety around COVID 19. YDHF will be looking to continue business using electronic communication means but meanwhile we wish everyone to be safe…
Ambulance Stats in Herald Sun
YDHF is concerned about the stats concerning ambulance call outs and overdose events in Yarra reported in the Herald/Sun and by MRAC. Each one of those stats refers to a person who is someones son/daughter/someone's loved one. We want to…
Public Opinion, Crime & Justice
Lunchtime Community Information Forum Take the opportunity over a sandwich to share information about your concerns, learn about evidence based approaches to minimizing harm from substance use, and connect with others who want to work collaboratively to improve things for…
35 years of Harm Reduction in Yarra
Meeting Room 3 Richmond Town Hall Bridge Road Richmond Topics/Speakers: Achievements and challenges of 35 years of harm reduction in Yarra Vera Boston Former CEO North Yarra Community Health, Founding member Yarra Drug and Health Forum, Resident of YarraHarm reduction…ups…
Public Drunkenness Survey
Know anyone who would like to participate in a focus group around the experience of public drunkenness? Clients or people you know who have experienced being drunk in public in Victoria, are aged 18+ and able to participate in a…
2019 | Jen McLachlan
MDAP Multicultural Alcohol and Drug Program
Presentation from November 2019 YDHF Community Forum
2019 | Annual Meeting
https://youtu.be/C_gyPm5jvuE Kim Sykes is a resident of Yarra and has extensive clinical, policy, management and governance experience within the health system. She is currently manager of education for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Vic Branch) and is Vice President…
Bernadette Burchell appointed
On behalf of the executive of the Yarra Drug and Health Forum, it is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce the appointment of our new Executive Officer, Ms. Bernadette Burchell. Bernadette will be working for the forum on…
Community Info Evening
Yarra AOD Community Info Evening https://youtu.be/y1JIbXnz2k4?list=PLoZk9YqGefSxlqUH3-ppXI2mDERPY-SuR The Yarra Drug & Health Forum (YDHF) is a community network project targeted at those living and working in the City of Yarra. YDHF meetings are an opportunity for community members and those with…
Yarra Drug and Health Forum Stakeholder Engagement Project
YDHF engaged a consultant on the future direction of the forum. Consultant Jason met with a range of stakeholders and community members in mid-2019 and prepared an extensive report on his findings. View the powerpoint summary of his findings, presented…
Trans-Tasman Charter for Pill Testing
The Yarra Drug and Health Forum are a signatory of the Trans-Tasman Charter for Pill Testing, established by Pill Testing Australia in 2019. https://pilltestingaustralia.com.au/trans-tasman-charter/ This Trans-Tasman Charter represents an agreement between all the signatories on a unified approach to working…
2018 | Matthew Honey
Matthew is a Harm Reduction practitioner and Peer Networker with Harm Reduction Victoria & North Richmond Community Health Centre. Matthew lives on the North Richmond Estate and took on the role of Peer Networker with HRVic’s Peer Network Program in…
YDHF Strategic Plan 2018-2022
2017 | Adam Wilson
Adam Willson is the Outreach Lawyer at Fitzroy Legal Service. Adam works closely with alcohol and drug agencies such as North Richmond Community Health Centre and cohealth to provide holistic and a harm reduction approach to legal service delivery including…
SIF Announcement
Open Letter of Thanks Dear all, On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Yarra Drug and Health Forum (YDHF)we would like to sincerely thank the numerous people that have lent their support to the campaign to establish a Supervised…
Memorial in recognition of drug overdose victims could be erected at Richmond
From 3AW There’s controversial calls for a memorial in recognition of drug overdose victims at Richmond. The City of Yarra mayor says if victims of car crashes who have broken the law get memorials, so too should victims of drug…
2016 | Kylie Smith
Kylie Smith is the NJC's (Neighbourhood Justice Centre's) Senior Koori Justice Worker. This means she works mainly with the Koori Community with the aim of addressing underlying causes of offending through providing a variety of support services to the local…
2015 | Rosie Lew
This year the award recipient was Ms Rosie Lew who works for cohealth at the Innerspace Primary Health Care Centre in Collingwood. Rosie was selected for this award because of the dedication that she has shown for over a decade…
2014 | Lauren Stuckey and Jane Dicka
Lauren Stuckey (Left in picture) has worked for the Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) for 8 years. Initially Lauren worked at the Fitzroy Downstairs Day Program and Primary Health Service. Currently Lauren works as a Youth Drug and Alcohol…
2013 | John Anderson and David Beech
The 2012-2013 winners of the YDHF Worker of the Year Awards are: John Anderson (left) and David Beech. John Anderson has been working in the AOD sector for the past 11 years. John is one of the unsung heroes of…
2012 | Michael Honeysett
Michael Honeysett is employed at Turning Point as the Needle and Syringe Program worker, however his work and the reasons for this nomination extend beyond this role. Michael is also a Koori Elder in the Fitzroy/Collingwood area and passionately supports…
2011 | Hui Zhou and Kasey Elmore
This year the award was shared between 2 highly respected candidates. Hui Zhou is a Community Outreach Lawyer with Fitzroy Legal Service. Hui has assisted clients of numerous services in Yarra to resolve legal issues. Hui shares the award with…
Ex-cop pushes for drug injecting room (ABC Radio)
[cpm-player id="1"] Via ABC Local Greg Denham served as a police officer for 21 years. Now he is part of the push for drug injecting rooms These days Greg Denham is Executive Officer at Yarra Drug and Health Forum, the…
2010 | Andrew Reid
Andrew Reid has been working at YSAS for over 10 years, and has been working with vulnerable young people for more than two decades. Within YSAS he has worked across all service types, including intensive support/withdrawal units, Day Programs, residential…
2009 | Thuy Bui
Thuy Bui has worked at North Richmond Community Health Centre since August 2004. The focus of her work has been with Vietnamese drug users and Vietnamese families with a family member who is using drugs.
2008 | Danny Jeffcote
Danny Jeffcote has worked for North Yarra Community Health since 2002 and is based at MINE Primary Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) in Smith Street Collingwood. Danny is a supporter of Harm Reduction policies and services and has used the…
2007 | Faye Edebohls
Faye Edebohls from North Richmond Community Health - inaugural Yarra AOD Worker of the Year
