In the lead-up to International Family Drug Support Day on 24 February, Meli recognises the vital role families play in supporting young people who use alcohol and other drugs (AOD).
Since its beginnings in 2016, the day has grown into an international movement that challenges stigma, raises awareness and acknowledges families who so often carry the heaviest burden. The 2026 theme – See the Person, Not the Drug – calls on all of us to look beyond labels and understand the people impacted by substance use.
At Meli, this principle underpins the work of our Youth Alcohol and Other Drugs (YAOD) team every day.
The team provides non-judgemental, person‑centred and trauma‑informed support to young people aged 12-25, offering counselling, education, case management, outreach and linkages to support and other services.
A key part of the team’s role is supporting parents and carers who are dealing with complex and often distressing circumstances.
“Families are usually desperate for guidance,” Josie explains. “We’re able to give them education about adolescent development, harm reduction, overdose response, and – importantly – how to stay calm. Many young people do experiment, and families need someone who can talk to them openly and without judgement.”
At any time, the team is supporting around 50 young people and there is currently a waiting list of 13 (this has reduced significantly over the past year). Referrals come from across the community, including Barwon Health, as well as through Meli programs including Out of Home Care and Youth Justice.
Youth Health and Wellbeing Team Leader, Josie Taylor, says flexibility is crucial to meeting people where they are at, emotionally and literally.
“Many young people dealing with AOD use also face mental health challenges, family breakdown or homelessness. Attending office-based appointments can be difficult. We go to them wherever they are.”
The team is seeing increasingly complex presentations among young people including co-occurring mental health conditions, family breakdown and homelessness.
Drug-use trends are also shifting. Recent drug offence statistics* show methamphetamine (ICE) continues to be a primary substance of concern in Greater Geelong. However, the Meli team is also seeing a worrying trend of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) being used in combination with ICE, contributing to dangerous overdose patterns.
Josie explained that the combination of depressants like GHB with stimulants such as ICE creates significant risk, and the team is focused on increasing safety education – including CPR knowledge and encouraging young people not to use alone.
Creating a safe space for young people and families to talk openly helps reduce stigma and isolation – a key message of International Family Drug Support Day.
*’Meth offences overtake cannabis for the second year in Greater Geelong’, Geelong Advertiser, 5 January 2026.
Learn more about International Family Drug Support Day here.
Quick Exit