SHARC welcomes the launch of the Victorian Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategy 2025–2035.
The strategy, released yesterday by Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt, is designed to reduce the incidence and impact of AOD-related harms in Victoria. It also aims to equip the AOD system to meet the needs of individuals, families, supporters, and diverse communities.
The focus of the strategy is improved access to, and pathways between, prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and treatment.
It sets out an ambitious road map for reforming our AOD system to ensure it’s more connected, culturally responsive, and capable of meeting rising need and demand.
As a member of the Sector Reference Group, SHARC played a key role in the strategy’s development. We particularly value the work of our sister organisations Ngwala Willumbong and Harm Reduction Victoria (Australia) in capturing the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the harm reduction community.
Many people in the SHARC community also made valuable contributions to the development of the strategy by sharing their lived and living experience through consultations, focus groups, surveys, and more.
The Victorian Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategy 2025–2035 is available here.