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Helping young people overcome drug and alcohol challenges, improve their mental health, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives

YSAS celebrates 25 years of impact — supporting over 100,000 young people and families to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

Since 1998, we’ve been walking beside young people and families as they work towards improving mental health and reducing both substance use-related harm and unwanted involvement with the criminal justice system.

Australia still needs a First Nations voice — it’s time to listen and act

YSAS continues to say Yes to a Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and supports a Treaty in Victoria.

The latest from YSAS

Media Release  
30.10.2024

Drug checking is now legal in Victoria, meaning people will able to get their drugs checked for harmful substances and doses from this summer.

On Tuesday night, new laws passed state parliament making drug checking (often called pill testing) legal in Victoria. 

The new laws will enable 10…

Story  
16.10.2024

We tend to think of carers as older people looking after children, elderly parents or a sick partner. But young people can become carers too.

Quinney Brownfield-Hanna began helping his single mum care for his six other siblings when he was 12. Quinney is the second eldest, and his older…

Media Release  
16.08.2024

YSAS welcomes the passing of the Youth Justice Bill in the Victorian parliament’s upper house, bringing the state one step closer to raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12.

YSAS Acting CEO Dom Ennis said it was an important reform that will make Victoria a better place for some…

CEO Message  
14.08.2024

Youth Support Advocacy Service is disappointed that the Allan’s Government has renounced its decision to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.

Last year, the Government committed to raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 by the end of this year, and to 14 by 2027.…

Media Release  
30.07.2024

A coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, human rights, social services, health, youth, religious and legal advocates are calling on the Victorian Parliament to back and strengthen the Youth Justice Bill, which is due to be debated today.

Five years in the making, the draft laws present a promising…

Story  
27.06.2024
Jacinta Allen announces pill testing trial will launch this summer

Pill testing will be permanent in Victoria following an 18-month trial of both mobile and fixed-site services to determine how best to offer the free drug checks to users. The $4 million trial will see mobile-sites at 10 music festivals…

Media Release  
23.05.2024

Up to 330 young people per year who come into contact with police will be denied access to an effective program that can turn them away from crime and toward a better future.

Despite a recent rise in youth crime and concerns about community safety, the State Government did…

Media Release  
23.04.2024

YSAS welcomes the Allan government’s Statewide Action Plan to reduce alcohol-related harm, including the appointment of Victoria’s first Chief Addiction Advisor.

YSAS CEO Andrew Bruun said the plan demonstrates the government’s commitment to making evidence-based harm reduction policy and treatment available to those who most need it.

“A targeted,…

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