Coolmine in call for ‘recovery hub’

ADDRESSING the health needs of those sleeping rough can help tackle homelessness, according to the CEO of Coolmine Therapeutic Community.

Pauline McKeown was speaking at a recent graduation ceremony in St Patrick’s Cathedral for 18 men and women who completed their treatment at Coolmine and are now drug free.

“Health and homeless services have not been in tandem to increase the wrap-around services for clients to move out of homelessness with support,” she said.

“It is frustrating for those working in these services to see clients, who are maintaining their recovery, homeless when they complete their treatment.”

McKeown said that Government, local authorities and the HSE need to deliver accommodation for homeless clients stepping down from treatment that safeguards their recovery.

“We are calling for a ‘recovery hub’ to be established immediately to prevent high risk families and single people exiting treatment to homelessness.

“Coolmine and DePaul Ireland are already collaborating with the DRHE and HSE to deliver a pilot service in 2018, but resources are not confirmed.

“In addition to recovery hubs, we have recommended to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government a ‘social housing passport scheme’ for high risk families.

“This would support families stepping down from treatment at Coolmine Ashleigh House and prevent them re-entering homelessness addiction.”

Coolmine is also calling on Government to commit resources for another high-risk family treatment centre in Ireland.

Coolmine treatment centre currently provides the only mother and child residential treatment in Ireland where staff work with homeless pregnant women and those with young children.

“There are 24 women and 15 babies at any one time in Coolmine Ashleigh House,” McKeown said.

“This supply far exceeds demand as we also have over 25 women, many pregnant, seeking treatment.”

Coolmine utilises the evidence based Parents under Pressure (PuP) programme to build strength and resilience in vulnerable families.

The treatment providers are currently the lead in Ireland for the programme delivery and have a robust evaluation underway with Griffith University Brisbane and Trinity College Dublin.

According to the HSE Cost per Unit study, 2017, the cost of a single male placement in Coolmine Lodge is €13,500 per annum and a mother and child placement costs €23,000.

Foster care placement for one child costs €20,000 per year while prison placement is around €65,000.

Coolmine say the figures are tangible evidence of a good return on investment for the State funding it receives.