A NEW study has found that over 60 per cent of female clients treated last year at an addiction facility in Dublin 15 were homeless after completing their residential therapy.
Coolmine Therapeutic Community operates the only mother and childcare treatment facility in Ireland at Ashleigh House, but the study reveals that its work is being hampered by homelessness.
There’s up to a dozen females, including pregnant women and mothers with small babies, waiting to start residential therapy at Coolmine at any given time but 63 per cent of those helped in 2013 were left either homeless or inadequately housed after treatment.
The study further highlighted that 23 per cent of all clients were in acute housing need at the 24 month follow up period, with many families struggling to look after young children and babies in poor accommodation.
Chief Executive at Coolmine Therapeutic Community, Pauline McKeown, says lack of proper housing for women recovering from addiction and their children is increasing the risk of relapse and overdose.
She’s now calling for better treatment and therapies for women with addiction problems.
“Research and practical evidence shows that the needs of women differ to those of men with addiction problems,
? she said.
“The majority of women with substance use issues have children, and this must be taken into account.
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McKeown also said that there was a high level of anxiety and depression related disorders amongst Coolmin’s female client group and this was further compounded by a lack of safe accommodation following residential treatment.
“A key issue for those who finish the therapy is that they return to a drug taking environment as the alternative is sleeping rough,
? she added.
“Due to the lack of proper housing being provided many are returning to a partner or family living environment of addiction.
“As a result, they have a much higher risk of relapse and potential overdose than those who progress to a drug-free location with access to childcare support, training and job seeking opportunities.
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Coolmine Therapeutic Community’s annual report for 2013 found that the vast majority (97 per cent) of former clients were not engaged in crime and six in ten remained drug free 24 months after therapy.
A quarter of former clients were in fulltime employment with 17 per cent in training or back in education. All clients surveyed said that they were back in contact with their families or supportive persons.
Meanwhile, a volunteer with Coolmine Therapeutic Community warned that living with addiction in the family
“isn’t like an episode of Love/Hate
?.
Anne, who volunteers with the community’s family support group says families can’t just turn off or switch channels on addiction.
“It is with you 24-hours a day and never relents,
? she says.
“I live in fear as my son struggles with addiction. Fear that he will die. Fear that the drug dealers will attack him or my family.
“I strongly advise anybody who has a family member with addiction problems to seek help from experts immediately. Don’t try and manage it yourself.
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Coolmine Community and Day services in Lord Edward Street admitted just under 100 clients last year and worked with a total of 140 individuals in a range of out-patient stabilisation and drug free services.
This represented an increase of 19 per cent and many clients are the second or third generation of their families with addiction problems.