Alcohol Help

Kings Cross Direct Access Service, London
Structured group and key working programme helps clients understand / resolve their alcohol problem

About us:

What we offer

* Immediate assessment: This assessment identifies client’s needs and finds a suitable support programme that meets them. Assessments take place between 9.30am to 11.30am

* One-to-one support: Staff work closely with clients on an inidivdual basis to help them reduce harmful drinking or to prepare clients for detox. This support is available for clients attending group sessions and in certain circumstances, may be available, on a limited basis, before the client begins to use the groups.

* Groups: A programme of topic-based group sessions, such as relapse prevention, that are repeated regularly throughout the year for people who are alcohol free on the day. The groups provide an opportunity for clients to share their experiences and strategies on coping with their alcohol problems.

* Drop in: The drop-in centre is open from 10.30am – 2pm following assessment. Our aim is that most people will access group sessions, however, people may use the drop in:

* To access support whilst waiting for detox
* As a short-term intervention for cutting back on drinking
* As an introduction to the service for people who have an initial fear or reluctance to use the groups

* Advice and access to other services: We can refer clients on to other specialist support such as inpatient detox and counselling.

* Housing and resettlement services: If homeless, we can refer clients to our housing services or if they are at risk of losing their home as a result of their drinking or drug misuse we can refer individuals to our floating support services.

* Complementary therapies: Acupuncture is available on a daily basis for people already registered with the service. Shiatsu is available for group attendees but there is normally a waiting list.

Opening times
10.30am – 2.00pm (drop-in)

9.30am – 11.30am (New assessments)

11.00am – 12.00pm, 2.00pm – 3.00pm Groups

Closed: Wednesdays pm

Accessing the service

You can register for help by phone or visiting us between 9.30am–12.30pm.

If you want to be assessed on the same day it is best to arrive early. If we are unable to assess you on the same day, we will offer you a booked appointment as soon as possible.

Referrals are accepted from GPs, voluntary organisations, statutory and private sector organisations via ARP’s agency referral form.

Contact Details:

Kings Cross Direct Access Service
130 / 134 Pentonville Road
London

N1 9JE

Telephone: 020 7837 0100

New Cross Service, London
A flexible service to those who are seeking help with their alcohol use.

About us:

Opening times
9.30am – 12.30pm (Daily)/2.00pm – 5.00pm
(by appt Mon, Weds and Friday)

What we offer

* Assessment: This assessment identifies client’s needs and finds a suitable support programme that meets them.

* One-to-one support: Staff work closely with clients on an individual basis to help them reduce harmful drinking or to prepare clients for detox.

* Day Programme: This structured six–week course provides an alternative to residential rehab. Individuals wanting to take part must be alcohol/substance free for the duration or the programme. A combination of group work and one-to-one sessions with trained staff aims to help people to make positive life changes.

* Groups: A programme of topic-based group sessions, such as relapse prevention, are repeated regularly throughout the year for people who are alcohol free on the day. The groups provide an opportunity for clients to share their experiences and strategies on coping with their alcohol problems.

* Advice and access to other services: We can refer individuals on to specialist support such as inpatient detox or counselling.

* Housing and resettlement services: If homeless, we can refer clients to our housing services or if they are at risk of losing their home, as a result of their drinking or drug misuse, we can refer to individuals to our floating support services.

* Complementary therapies – Acupuncture and meditation is available to registered service users.

Accessing the service

You can register for help by phone or visiting us between 9.30am–12.30pm.

If you want to be assessed on the same day it is best to arrive early. If we are unable to assess you on the same day, we will offer you an appointment as soon as possible.

Contact Details:

ARP - New Cross Service
318 New Cross Road
New Cross
London

SE14 6AF

Telephone: 020 8691 2886

Choices Service, London
Specialist service for ethnic communities who may find it difficult to engage with alcohol services

About us:

Opening times
9.30am – 12.30pm/2.00pm – 5.00pm (Mon – Fri)
Closed: Tuesday pm

What we offer:

* Immediate assessment: This assessment identifies Client’s needs and finds a suitable support programme that meets them. Assessments take place between 9.30am to 11.30am

* One-to-one support: Staff work closely with clients on a one-to-one basis to help reduce harmful drinking or to prepare them for detox.

* Specialist Counselling: Providing a confidential and safe environment, with a qualified counsellor, to explore concerns in client’s lives and how these issues relate to their alcohol use and their culture. This service is also open to those affected by others drinking (partners, relatives)

* Groups: A programme of topic based group sessions, such as relapse prevention, that are repeated regularly throughout the year for people who are alcohol free on the day. The groups provide an opportunity for clients to share their experiences and strategies on coping with their alcohol problems. They also offer those who may feel isolated from their own communities a chance to connect with others.

* Creative workshops: To help people explore how to express themselves different ways. We offer a variety of approaches which change depending on service users preferences and the availability of practitioners to facilitate workshops.

* Advice and access to other services: We can refer clients on to other specialist support such as inpatient detox.

* Housing and resettlement services: If homeless, we can refer clients to our housing services or if they are at risk of losing their home, as a result of their drinking or drug misuse, we can refer individuals to our floating support services.

* Complementary therapies: A range of therapies offered to complement the above services are available to registered clients.

Accessing the service

You can register for help by phone or visiting us between 9.30am and 11.30am Monday to Friday

Contact Details:

ARP - Choices Service
140 -142 Stockwell Road
London

SW9 9TQ

Telephone: 020 7737 5755

Elephant & Castle Service, London
Flexible and holistic approach that enables people to understand and resolve their alcohol problem.

About us:

Opening times
9.30am – 12.30pm/2.00pm – 5.00pm (Monday – Friday)
Closed: 12.30pm – 2.00pm (& Tuesdays pm)

What we offer:

* Immediate assessment: This assessment identifies a client’s needs and finds a suitable support programme that meets them. Assessments take place between 9:30am to 11:30am

* One-to-one support: Staff work closely with clients on an individual basis to help reduce harmful drinking or to prepare them for detox.

* Day Programme: This structured six–week course provides an alternative to residential rehab. Individuals wanting to take part must be alcohol/substance free for the duration of the programme. A combination of group work and one-to-one sessions with trained staff aims to help people to make positive life changes.

* Groups: A programme of topic-based group sessions, such as relapse prevention, that are repeated regularly throughout the year for people who are alcohol free on the day. The groups provide an opportunity for clients to share their experiences and strategies on coping with their alcohol problems.

* Counselling: Providing a confidential and safe environment, with a qualified counsellor, to explore concerns in clients’ lives and how these issues relate to their alcohol use.

* Advice and access to other services: We can refer clients on to other specialist support such as inpatient detox.

* Housing and resettlement services: If homeless, we can refer clients to our housing services or if they are at risk of losing their home as a result of their drinking or drug misuse we can refer individuals to our floating support services.

* Complementary therapies: A range of therapies offered to complement the above services are available to registered clients.

ARP Elephant & Castle Direct Access has disabled access to the ground floor and hearing loops.

Contact Details:

ARP - Elephant & Castle Service
68 Newington Causeway
London

SE1 6DF

Telephone: 020 7403 4077

Binge drinkers arrested for alcohol-related offences in four areas across the country may be compelled by police to face up to the consequences of their drinking after they have been arrested, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.

The Home Office has provided £330,000 of funding to Drug and Alcohol Action Teams in Ealing, Manchester, Liverpool and Cheshire to pilot Alcohol Arrest Referral Projects (AARP) until March next year. In Liverpool, offenders will be required to pay £30 each towards the cost of the counselling which will be ploughed back into the scheme. If they prove successful, further funding will be available until October 2008.

A typical alcohol referral process might involve the following:

• An adult has been binge drinking and commits criminal damage. They are arrested and taken into custody.
• Police in the custody suite judge that alcohol played a part in the fact that the person committed the offence, and that they might benefit from advice about safer drinking.
• A resident alcohol specialist gives the person advice about unit strengths, the effects of alcohol on the body, and strategies for reducing the risk of offending – and they could be made to pay towards taking responsibility for their actions.
• Those with more complex alcohol misuse problems, and who are given a conditional caution, can be referred to more in-depth advice sessions. If they do not attend these advice sessions, they can be prosecuted for the original offence.

Where similar schemes have operated in Gloucestershire and Dudley, police have reported significant reductions in re-offending. In the former, re-offending among offenders who had attended two advice sessions approximately halved after twelve months.

These four pilots will build on that work and provide an opportunity to collect detailed evidence about how these interventions combat alcohol-related crime and disorder. At the same time they will help to establish a blueprint of best practice for others to follow.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

“We are determined to break the link between drunkenness and anti-social behaviour. People need to face up to the damage that excessive drinking can do to themselves and those around them. These pilots will complement powers already available to the police to tackle alcohol related disorder, including on-the-spot fines, confiscating alcohol in public places and closing down premises that flout the law. I look forward to seeing the first assessments of the projects in spring next year.”

Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern Srabani Sen said:

“The Arrest Referral Pilots represent a real move forward in achieving the Government’s commitment to tackling alcohol fuelled violent crime. It is not enough to just punish those who commit such crimes. We need actively to work with people to change the drinking patterns that lead to trouble.

“Providing people with active, personalised advice about their drinking promises good results in breaking the link between alcohol and violent crime. We applaud the Government for this initiative.”

Association of Chief Police Officers lead on alcohol Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison said:

“We hope that giving advice about safer drinking to those arrested for different types of alcohol-related offences will help to reduce crime in the areas taking part in these pilots. Changing attitudes and encouraging sensible drinking, alongside effective enforcement action, should help to tackle the root cause of crime associated with the night-time economy.”

Performance Director of Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol Service Brian Lawson, who pioneered the concept of alcohol arrest referral, said:

“I know that referral schemes can deliver substantial reductions in re-offending among those who have been arrested for alcohol related offences. The alcohol referral pilots should reduce re-offending in participating areas, as well as identifying best-practice for the benefit of all alcohol referral schemes.”

The Home Office

Broadway Lodge, Weston-super-Mare
A treatment centre for alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders and codependency.

About us:

Since 1974, our centre at Weston-super-Mare, has helped thousands of people back to a happier life free from addiction to alcohol and other mood-altering chemicals. As the first operators in the United Kingdom of what has become known as the Minnesota model of treatment we have had more experience than any other agency in this country at working successfully with this effective treatment programme.

Broadway Lodge is a 39 bed residential centre providing primary care, with an additional 25 places in adjacent houses for those needing secondary care. Situated on the edge of Weston-super-Mare, it is located in the peaceful setting of a country house and is registered as a nursing home with the Bristol & District Health Authority.

We believe that addiction to alcohol and drugs (chemical dependency) is a chronic, progressive, primary and incurable disease, not a problem of morals or willpower. The disease, if left unchecked, will prove terminal either directly through the effect of the drugs on the organs of the body, or indirectly through causing accidents, etc. The disease is tripartite: mental, physical and spiritual and is characterised by loss of control over alcohol and other mood-altering substances. That is to say, the inability of the patient to predict what will happen when they take a drink or use drugs. If the patient receives the correct treatment there is a good chance that the disease will be arrested and the patient able to lead a normal, fulfilled life. Our goal is to help the patient live without chemical support.

Contact Details:

Broadway Lodge
37 Totterdown Lane
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset
BS24 9NN

Telephone: 01934 815515

Alcohol Advisory Service for Camden & Islington, London
Assessment, treatment, detoxification, advice and information for people with alcohol problems.

About us:

The service offers assessment, treatment, community detoxification, advice and information for people with alcohol related problems including specialist input for clients with mental health problems. It also provides acute hospital, GP and psychiatric ward liaison services. Teaching and training is offered to a wide range of professionals.

Info:

This alcohol advisory service seeks to treat clients with the goals of controlled drinking, harm reduction or abstinence using differing models of intervention. It features a hospital liaison service.

Services Offered:

Access to other services, Assessment, Brief interventions, Community care assessment, Consultancy and training, Community - , Referral on - Detox, Dual diagnosis, Family and/or couple counselling, Information and advice, Key worker, Medical and Psychiatric assessment and interventions, Relapse prevention, Telephone counselling/Helpline. There is an assessment of and
counselling for mental health issues, support for problem drinkers with children and joint work with social services. Additionally they offer workplace services. There is no waiting period and the programme length is variable depending on client need. The client must not to be intoxicated on day of attendance. There is a structured aftercare service. They can provide interpreters for most languages with given notice. There is an adapted toilet, wheelchair access, ground floor interview room, professionally trained workers.

Contact Details:

Alcohol Advisory Service for Camden & Islington
309 Grays Inn Road
London

WC1X 8QS

Telephone: 020 7530 5900