Alcohol Help

Aquarius, Northampton
Help for people affected by alcohol and drug problems

About us:

The Aquarius Northamptonshire service, based in Northampton town and with local groups throughout the county, provides a full range of help for people affected by alcohol and drug problems, including:

* Information, advice, counselling and day programme
* Residential service
* Second stage accommodation
* Community projects

Who is the service for?

The residential service is available to anyone across the country and will need an initial interview and funding arranged.

The day services are free of charge to all people living or working within the county of Northamptonshire. Most services are provided by appointment only. People may contact us themselves to make an appointment or be referred by a professional such as their GP, Social Worker or Probation Officer.

How do we work?

All our workers are professional counsellors, trained in alcohol and drug issues. At Aquarius, we respect your right to make your own choices and decisions. We will not tell you what to do, or make judgements about you. However, we will provide you with information, counselling and support to help you achieve your chosen goal.

Funding

Northamptonshire Aquarius is funded by Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire Health Authority pooled treatment budgets and income from residential fees.

Services Provided

Information, advice, counselling and day programme

Aquarius offers alcohol and drugs information, advice and counselling to people concerned about their own or someone else\’s drinking or drug-taking. This help is available both on the telephone, and face to face (by appointment only) at our Northampton centre.

We offer an initial individual assessment appointment; a wide range of counselling groups, individual counselling, auricular acupuncture and the use of the centre during the day for socialising.

Groups offered include personal skills groups, support groups, social groups, yoga and intensive therapy groups.

Residential Service

A confidential residential service in an environment free from alcohol and other drugs for men and women who want to stop drinking or using drugs, to work on the reasons for their drinking or drug-taking and to find alternative ways of coping.

We offer an individual assessment appointment, followed by an assessment week. Residents have access to a full range of individual and group counselling, and access to special residents only groups.

There is a charge for this service.

Second stage accommodation

We have second stage accommodation, into which residents may move for a further six month period while continuing to attend the programme.

Contact Details:

Aquarius
4 St Georges Street
Northampton

NN1 2TR

Telephone: 01604 632421

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat - but for families who have members struggling with drug or alcohol dependency, there is more to worry about than how many of the Christmas tree lights will be out this year.

The stress of dealing with a child or adult facing these issues can cause huge misery over the Festive Season, which is why the Families and Friends Project run by West Sussex Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) offers advice and drop-in centres to help.

The Orchard Drop In Centre, in Crawley, is celebrating its first anniversary this Christmas after a successful year supporting 56 separate families from across the borough. As well as a drop in service the project also offers residential courses, a daily helpline and free counselling to affected families.

Anyone struggling to cope because of alcohol or drug misuse by a loved one, and dreading the thought of Christmas, can be certain to receive support from a team of friendly advisors across West Sussex. (See notes to editors for regional centres).

Jane Brown, West Sussex DAAT Project Co-ordinator, said:

"Give yourself an early Christmas present this year and seek support. Don’t wait to get advice on how to survive this Christmas, come along to one of our drop-in centres and talk it over."

To find out more about the help and support available this Christmas, and all year round, call the Families and Friends Project on 01243 382 940.

Home Office

Hebron Trust, Norwich
Supportive community environment in which to detox and rehabilitate from drug and alcohol dependency

About us:

Hebron House is a safe, nurturing and intensively supportive community environment in which to detox and to rehabilitate from drug and alcohol dependency and the life-dominating problems that serious substance misuse can cause.

As a resident you will remove yourself from your immediate environment and join up to nine other women aged 18-45 who share the common goal of recovery. By leaving home you will break free from old contacts and by joining a sheltered community you will be able to focus fully on your recovery without distraction.

In recovery we recognise that while the main problem is substance misuse, there are multiple and complex problems that lie behind the dependency which need to be addressed. You will have the opportunity to begin to address these problems in the context of a highly structured and timetabled programme that focuses on self-help techniques, one-to-one counselling and a combination of life stories, individual work and one-to-one and group therapy.

We offer space and time for reflection on and recollection of past trauma and dysfunction. Even though the treatment is highly structured, we offer each person an individual and flexible structure of care.

The community which Hebron aims to create is supportive and affirmative based on respect, openness, honesty, trust, choice and a willingness to change. We operate on shared responsibility and community meetings where you will take part in joint decision making, discussion of problems and facing issues in order to solve them, taking responsibility for your own actions, gaining interpersonal skills and ways of dealing with conflict and behavioural control that embody principles of recovery.

In deciding if you are eligible for placement at Hebron House we consider, among other things, long term or out of control use of drugs or alcohol. The most popular drugs of choice are alcohol, heroin, benzodiazepines and stimulants, though we cater for any drug misuse and polydrug use as well. We also consider clients with deteriorating physical health, complex or deteriorating mental health problems, self-harm or suicide attempts, chaotic lifestyle, repeated offending, unsatisfactory housing, history of physical or sexual abuse, eating disorders, failure of previous interventions and time spent in custody or care. We would also consider the appropriateness of an all-female setting. As one of the few specialized women-only treatment centres in the country we recognise that the needs and expectations of women in recovery are different to those of men and without access to a women-only setting, some women will not recover.

We may not be able to accept some women:

• who are not fully mobile or who cannot manage their own self care or who are unable to participate fully in the normal household routine
• who have a clearly diagnosed psychiatric illness that requires maintenance medication
• who have serious personality problems (not directly related to addiction) characterised by poor impulse control, violent/aggressive or extremely anti-social behaviour, compulsive self-harm etc. In order to benefit from being at Hebron House clients must be able to be integrated into the household community without putting other residents at risk and be able to fully co-operate with the programme.

We may not be able to accept some women for detoxification:

• who have serious medical complications. Acutely ill referrals and those with chronic medical conditions which may become unstable during detox will require hospital detoxification.
• Who have a history of fits. These as well will require hospital detoxification prior to being admitted to Hebron House.
• Who are using more than the benzodiazepine equivalent of 100mg diazepam daily.

We will not take women:

• who have had an arson conviction in the past seven years
• who have a history of violence which is not related to their drug or alcohol use
• who are pregnant and need to detoxify

While all of our staff and volunteers are Christian, we neither require residents to be Christian nor do we pressure them into making any kind of religious commitment. We do ask, however, that they are open to the spiritual principles on which our way of life and our recovery treatment is based. We offer places without discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, philosophical belief, sexual orientation or social class.

Contact Details:

Hebron Trust
12 Stanley Avenue
Norwich
Norfolk
NR7 0BE

Telephone: 01603 439905

Alcohol Misuse Service, Bristol
Comprehensive service to people in Bristol experiencing problems with alcohol.

About us:

The Alcohol Misuse Service (AMS) is funded by the two Bristol Primary Care Trusts and Bristol Social Services and Health and offers a comprehensive service to people in the city experiencing problems with alcohol. The service offers a range of interventions including:

* Advice and information
* Counselling
* Drop ins
* Brief Interventions
* Support for families
* Referral links to NHS specialist services

The service is provided by a small team of experienced and qualified practitioners together with 12 volunteers most of whom are either qualified counsellors or counsellors undertaking training at Diploma level.

Services are delivered at the AMS premises and in two satellites, one in the north of the city and one in the south. The service works closely with the Robert Smith Unit (RSU) the Bristol Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service (BSDAS) and recently AMS and the RSU were awarded a new contract by the Bristol to deliver an enhanced alcohol service in South Bristol at Knowle Health Park.

The service has two primary goals to promote sensible drinking and to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. Referrals can be made to the service by professionals or by self referral. Work is both individual and group based.

All staff and volunteers receive regular external clinical supervision. Staff have responsibility for the support and line management of volunteers.

Demand for the service currently outstrips supply and it is hoped that the service will develop over the coming years. The service has secured charitable funding to develop a young persons service.

Discussions are also in progress to develop a service tailored to the needs of the criminal justice system, especially the probation service.

Contact Details:

Alcohol Misuse Service
2 Kings Court
King Street
Bristol

BS1 4HW

Telephone: 0117 929 3028

Addiction Recovery Agency, Bristol
Treatment and support services to enable people to live free from all forms of substance dependency

About us:

ARA’s Mission Statement

‘To provide addiction treatment and support services to enable people to lead valued and fulfilled lives free from all forms of substance dependency. To particularly address the needs of homeless people or people in housing need through the additional provision of housing support services.

To work in partnership with other organisations to reduce the level of drug and alcohol dependency and the consequent damage to individuals, their families and the community.’

Drug and alcohol misuse and dependency ruins lives and families and represents a huge cost to the community and society generally - but there is hope because treatment works!

For over 35 years the Addiction Recovery Agency (ARA) and Advice and Counselling on Alcohol and Drugs (ACAD), which merged in January 2006, have been providing hope through treatment to thousands of people experiencing problems because of drug and alcohol misuse and dependency.

Residential Rehabilitation Programme

The Residential programme is a 12 - 30 week structured, second stage, 12 step based, rehabilitation programme. It is targeted at homeless people and those in housing need, but not exclusively so and provides mixed gender treatment and single gender accommodation. Places for up to 25 people are provided in four unregistered residential houses in different parts of Bristol. Referrals are taken from a wide range of sources, including primary treatment centres, prisons, probation (including DTTOs), etc. Clients live in one of four centrally located houses and attend counselling sessions and groups at ARA’s central office.

The therapeutic programme provides:

* individual care planning
* one to one counselling
* group work
* written assignments
* workshops
* self esteem building
* indoor and outdoor activities
* communication skills
* educational & vocational courses
* crisis intervention & support
* voluntary work
* relapse prevention
* attendance at NA & AA
* scheduled aftercare

Contact Details:

Addiction Recovery Agency
King’s Court
King Street
Bristol

BS1 4EE

Telephone: 0117 930 0282

As the Christmas party season gets into full swing, Sedgefield Local Strategic Partnership this week launched an Alcohol Harm Reduction strategy to encourage safer, sensible drinking across the borough.

Options include implementing a designated driver scheme, training health care professionals to spot the signs of alcohol misuse and carrying out test purchases in off-licences.

Alcohol misuse is estimated to cost the country more than £20 billion a year in crime and damage to health and lost productivity. In Sedgefield, alcohol plays a part in 25% of all anti-social behaviour, and more people binge drink in the borough compared to the national average. More young women aged 10-19 are admitted to hospital because of alcohol, and the mortality rate for women in the age ranges 25-29 and 35-39 is higher than that for men.

Glyn Hall, Chair of the Sedgefield Community Safety Partnership, said:

"Promoting a sensible drinking culture is something that we should all take responsibility for - both at a personal level and by those in a position of influence to bring about real change and not just at this time of year when the party season is well under way. That is what this strategy seeks to do, as well as addressing the worrying trends have been highlighted in this report which require firm action to resolve.

"A number of issues are crucial to the success of the strategy which aims to reduce the adverse impact of alcohol on individuals and communities across the borough. These include education, both of young people and adults to prevent problems, encouraging businesses and employers to subscribe to the healthy workplace programme and providing a range of interesting social, sporting and leisure opportunities to divert people away from alcohol-related activities.

"The strategy sets out how partners, including the police, the council, the primary care trust and community safety partnership will tackle those problems and includes measures to prevent, treat and control the misuse of alcohol."

Areas highlighted for action in relation to prevention include education initiatives and including advice and information in the Healthy Schools Programme, encouraging businesses and employers to sign up to the Healthy Workplace initiative.

Implementing a designated driver scheme and carrying out test purchases at off-licences and reducing the number of ‘happy hours’ are included in plans to more effectively control the access and availability of alcohol.

Action relating to treatment includes more involvement of health services and GPs in intervening and offering advice and support at an early stage if a patient appears to have alcohol issues. Furthermore, intense support at a number of levels, will be available depending on how serious the alcohol misuse is.

Claire Sullivan, consultant in public health for County Durham Primary Care Trust, said: "For the first time ever we will have an integrated alcohol service which involves four stages from brief interventions to hospital detox services.

"This is a major step forward for us as traditionally the profile of alcohol has come second to the drugs agenda but in the last year alcohol and the impact it has on health and the community has risen to such an extent there was a call for a dedicated alcohol service in its own right. "

Home Office

Responding to the publication of today’s Children’s Plan, Addaction Chief Executive Deborah Cameron, said:

“The government has been burying its head in the sand about the dangerous levels of drinking among young people for far too long. Shocking figures showing alcohol consumption has doubled among young people who drink over the last fifteen years seem finally to be having some impact.

“But it would be a huge letdown if this recognition was followed by inadequate plans for delivery on the ground. Schools can only play a role in spotting and dealing with drug and alcohol misuse among pupils if teachers are given proper training and space to do so in an already crowded curriculum.

“Today’s Plan also recognizes the devastating impact growing up in families where a parent has a drug or alcohol problem is having on well over a million children in England and Wales. We expect to see more detail on how this will be tackled in next year’s drug strategy, but we are clear that families must have a chance to tackle problems before they have reached crisis point, before children are taken into care or families have irretrievably broken down.

“Investment is urgently needed in schemes that intervene early and prevent drug or alcohol problems from carrying on into the next generation.”

Addaction

Fresh (Frenchay Rehabilitation Houses ), Weston Super Mare
A person who chooses to remain free from all mood altering substances, can engage in personal growth

About us:

Frenchay Residential Rehabilitation houses aim to provide an environment where a person who chooses to remain free from all mood altering substances, can engage in personal growth. The person centred eclectic approach by the team aims to facilitate a process encouraging a state of self-empowerment.

We believe this is achieved through self-responsibility, Self honesty, insight and appropriate expression. Self defeating attitudes and behaviours will be supportively challenged and greater understanding of slef will be explored in all avenues of the past and present issues.

A more a satisfying and fulfilling life without the aid of mood altering substances can be achieved through an individuals commitment to their process within our environment.

Frenchay houses are staffed 24 hours a day. We operate with 5 full time and 4 part time counselling staff, present Monday to Friday working days, and a team of support staff, who work weekends and nights (with a counsellor ‘on call.’) all staff are trained to a high standard, adhere to B.A.C.P ethical practice and are professionally supervised, offer a wealth of differing orientations and backgrounds, as well as expertise in the common area of counselling/supporting clients with substance misuse issues. The persons in control and the social services registered manager hold ultimate responsibility for provision of statements of practice.

The counselling team facilitate group work and individual counselling as well as family conferences/couple work where deemed appropriate.

Staff care about our clients so as to build both a working alliance and a real trusting relationship. We do not allow clients to persist blindly in self defeating, manipulative, aggressive or passive behaviours. Our positive regard for the individual remains the basis for our understanding of patterns of psychological, emotional and behavioural responses having been adapted in accordance with the individual’s perception of best surviving their past environments.

Just as group work is central to the client process at Frenchay, so our team approach is paramount in our staffing structure. Decisions and policies are made by the team collectively and after full discussion and consideration. Responsibility lies ultimately with the registered managers. Staff are happy to discuss therapeutic orientation and working practice in more detail if required.

Contact Details:

Fresh (Frenchay Rehabilitation Houses )
35-37 Lower Church Road
Weston Super Mare
Somerset
BS23 2AQ

Telephone: 01934 624330

Rugby House Solutions, Romford
Substance misuse day programme for adult residents of the London Borough of Havering

About us:

Solutions delivers a structured group programme and a structured counselling service to clients who have had or who are experiencing problematic substance misuse.

Commissioned and funded by Havering Drug & Alcohol Action Team in 2006, the service is open to residents of Havering.

The programme holds social learning and harm reduction principles at its core and interventions are based on cognitive and behavioural approaches. A diverse staff team also bring a range of experiences including Person Centred and Psychodynamic Counselling that contribute to service delivery.

The service is suitable for individuals subject to Drug Rehabilitation Requirements as well as those referred by other drug services

Services Provided

Download Rugby House Solutions Timetable

* The Solutions Day Programme- a 12-week rolling programme of \’primary\’ substance misuse treatment based upon structured group sessions. Groups include sessions on;
* Practical Skills
* Healthy Choices
* Expressions
* Life Skills
* Care Planning
* Relapse Preventio
* Relationships

The Solutions Day Programme has the capacity to see twelve clients at any one time.

* The Solutions Open Aftercare Group- interventions are focused around cognitive functioning and social problem solving skills as applied to relapse prevention, available to all clients who have completed structured primary treatment and are able to commit to attending for more than a few weeks.

The Solutions Open Aftercare Group is limited to 12 clients at any one time, Serves as a route into;

* The Structured Aftercare Group- a group focused on communication skills, and interpersonal relationships. Available to clients who have completed structured primary treatment and have been assessed as being suitable either via the Open Aftercare Group or following a professionals referral to the service.

The Structured Aftercare Group has capacity for ten to twelve clients at any one time

* Structured counselling - a twelve week programme of individual primary treatment sessions focused on social learning and harm reduction, strongly influenced by a Cognitive Behavioural approach sessions are suitable for those individuals in the first stages of treatment who cannot commit to the day programme or who feel unable to engage with others in a group setting.

Capacity for the Structured 1:1 Interventions is limited to three clients at any given time.

Suitable for …

The day programme has an open assessment policy accepting referrals regardless of sex, ethnicity or drug of choice within the following criteria;

* Clients must be of adult age (18 & over)
* Be resident in the London Borough of Havering (or be entitled to do so should they be returning from residential placements or custody.
* Be using illicit substances and have a desire to abstain or have recently been using illicit substances and have stabilised on prescribed medication or abstained
* Able to engage in group-work.

There are limited reasons why an individual might be referred on to a more appropriate service, such assessments are made on an individual basis and may include;

* Current unstable substance misuse,
* Untreated or unsupervised mental ill-health,
* Current risk of violence to others,
* Current risk of predatory or exploitative behaviours (including dealing).

Although Solutions is on the first-floor, our building has been converted for those with limited mobility with a wheelchair accessible stair lift and a less-abled toilet with on-call.

Referral Procedure

Solutions does not accept self-referrals onto the primary 12 week programme or its structured 1:1 interventions, however we do accept referrals from the Criminal Justice DIP, First Stop drug service or New Directions prescribing service.

* Substance misuse professionals wishing to refer their clients must forward a current completed Havering DAAT triage form and risk assessment.
* Once a referral is received the team will endeavour to offer an assessment appointment within a week, the outcome of which will be discussed on the day.
* Once accepted into the day programme clients will need to attend at least one \’induction\’ session with their key worker prior to being brought into the group, clients more suitable for structured 1:1 intervention are offered their first appointment with their key worker once being accepted.

Solutions aftercare can be accessed via a professionals referral as above or directly by attending the open session each Thursday evening for an hour from 17:15

Contact Details:

Rugby House Solutions
Ballard Chambers
26 High Street
Romford

RM1 1HR

Telephone: 01708 757 235

Focus12, Bury St Edmunds
Helping people to help themselves

About us:

Focus12 is a friendly, approachable charity dealing with all aspects of addiction. Established in 1997, the charity aims to treat people with respect and understanding. The staff team are committed to ensuring that all clients feel comfortable and at ease while at Focus12.

Focus12 believes that clients benefit from talking to professional people who have had experience in what they are going through. This is particularly true with clients who suffer from alcohol and substance misuse.

We offer a free assessment and intervention service to the client, close relative or partner. This service is also available, to GP\’s, Drug and Alcohol teams and Occupational Health personnel who will receive a full report, subsequent to the assessment.

Focus12 will provide an assessment within 1 week of initial contact, wherever possible.

Focus12 is a registered charity committed to providing treatment wherever it is needed. Funding, or lack of it, will never be a barrier to receiving treatment when it is genuinely sought.

Treatment costs may sometimes be available from public sources or, with the appropriate referral, from Private Medical Insurance. Alternatively you may fund your own treatment. Where funding is difficult to obtain the Trustees believe that the charity should take responsibility for assisting the client in obtaining treatment with as few barriers as possible. No client who genuinely seeks help will ever be refused treatment for financial reasons.

Full fees inclusive of residential costs are £450 per week. The structured day programme is £350 per week, which may be negotiated where there are financial difficulties.

the alcohol & drug programmetreatment consists of

Focus12 will assist clients to:

• • Arrange detoxification (where necessary)
• • Recognise their condition and the need for change
• • Realise the effect of their problems on family, friends and work
• • Understand the nature of their dependency
• • Restore and maintain trusting, positive relationships
• • Develop an on-going support and after care programme

Focus12 is an abstinent based programme. Clients will be required to abstain from all mood altering substances whilst on the programme. Many clients will at first find this hard to deal with. Experience has shown though, that those people who have long term dependency issues have tried on many occasions to control their use, without success. Through the support provided by Focus12 and self help groups such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous recovery is possible. The programme lasts an average of 10 weeks, dependent on individual need. It is designed to help clients face the reality of their situation, enable them to adapt to changes and to build up a continuing support system.

• • Individual and group therapy
• • Lectures,including Art and Drama work shops
• • Audio and video presentations
• • Weekly structured after care groups
• • Relapse prevention programme

The programme is flexible, with individual care plans we ensure that it is tailored to the needs of each client.

Focus12 have 7 semi-residential beds available, enabling clients from outside of the local area to access our treatment facilities. Fees can be obtained on request.

Contact Details:

Focus12
82 Risbygate Street
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 3AQ

Telephone: 01284 701702