Staff at the Dublin Simon Rehab Detox Centre said they were receiving up to 20 referrals a month and that, with more funding, double or treble the current annual number of clients who complete the programme could be catered for.
Staff at the centre said more funding would also allow for treatment of those with drug addiction problems.
They have also seen an increase in the number of women availing of the detox and rehab services. Four of the 12 rehab places are currently taken up by women.
The centre in Usher’s Island in Dublin city centre operates with three project workers and four full-time volunteers.
It provides 12 detox places and 12 rehab places, but only for those with alcohol addiction, or in some cases, addiction to so-called “benzos” such as valium.
A senior manager at the facility admitted that polydrug use was now more prevalent than ever before and said: “We would like to expand into [treating] drug and alcohol addiction.
“Drug detox is more complex, it needs more staff and resources and we could do that if we had the extra funding.”
She added that in her experience of both the Rough Sleeper Simon team and the work at the centre, the percentage of drug users among the homeless population had increased from more than a third five years ago to 80%.
The centre also provides 30 aftercare placements, but has recently had to introduce a one year “case closed procedure” for clients owing to budgetary constraints, whereas previously aftercare was open-ended.
Currently, about 34 clients complete the three-week detox and subsequent three- month rehab programmes before proceeding to different forms of aftercare.Staff at the Dublin Simon Rehab Detox Centre said they were receiving up to 20 referrals a month and that, with more funding, double or treble the current annual number of clients who complete the programme could be catered for.
Staff at the centre said more funding would also allow for treatment of those with drug addiction problems.
They have also seen an increase in the number of women availing of the detox and rehab services. Four of the 12 rehab places are currently taken up by women.
The centre in Usher’s Island in Dublin city centre operates with three project workers and four full-time volunteers.
It provides 12 detox places and 12 rehab places, but only for those with alcohol addiction, or in some cases, addiction to so-called “benzos” such as valium.
A senior manager at the facility admitted that polydrug use was now more prevalent than ever before and said: “We would like to expand into [treating] drug and alcohol addiction.
“Drug detox is more complex, it needs more staff and resources and we could do that if we had the extra funding.”
She added that in her experience of both the Rough Sleeper Simon team and the work at the centre, the percentage of drug users among the homeless population had increased from more than a third five years ago to 80%.
The centre also provides 30 aftercare placements, but has recently had to introduce a one year “case closed procedure” for clients owing to budgetary constraints, whereas previously aftercare was open-ended.
Currently, about 34 clients complete the three-week detox and subsequent three- month rehab programmes before proceeding to different forms of aftercare.
Source: Noel Baker, Irish Examiner, 19/01/2009
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