Transcript Under represented in SP funding streams Need to focus more on

Substance Misuse
workshop 2008
Update from the past year
Past, Present and Future
Facilitated by Louise Gotch
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
How well do the services provided through Supporting People for people with drug
problems meet the diverse needs of the population?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Under represented in SP funding streams
Need to focus more on partnership working with PCT to meet needs more
effectively
There should be a flexible approach to commissioning services to meet the needs
of this client group given the complex nature of their behaviour etc
More work with districts in order they understand the issues surrounding this
client group to enable them to be more flexible with tenancies etc
Issue with domestic violence refuge not getting floating support from drug or
alcohol teams. This essential as this support would help the mothers cope with
their abuse and their children to avoid them being taken in to care
There needs to be a link with homeless substance misuse to link in with other
providers if sleeping rough etc.
Needs to be stabilisation accommodation, wet / dry places for people to go as a
starting point towards their recovery. A day centre, wet hostel etc
Substance mis-users are often excluded from hostels and night shelters and this
needs to be addressed.
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
Are services for drug users being delivered in the right areas of
the county?
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
There is need in every area
There are providers providing a great deal of support for this client group who are not SP funded
Keep in communication with regional drugs unit to obtain statistics etc
Resources should be person centred and follow the individual
Alcohol and drugs are often interlinked and projects need to be developed to be able to deal with
both addictions
RSL should focus on present information and not past history as this often sways their decision
which is not giving the client a chance to move on in their recovery process.
Very few providers put drugs or alcohol down on the client record forms as primary, but most have a
substantial amount within their projects. How does or will this affect SP funding given the strict
criteria.
Funding – SP budget should link in with commissioning partners
Provide funding outside the box
Youth offending team need to link in with the programme
Look at care and support pathways to get a better picture of what is required
Partnership work is hard but essential in making sure the right services are commissioned
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
How can Supporting People develop support to services providing support
to people who use drugs as a secondary need?
•Support packages should be in place to meet individual needs
•Specialist – support / access to drug misuse as they need to understand the needs and
how it affects their housing, allowing them to keep their housing while support is in
place.
•Team of flexible floating support workers across districts / projects
•There should not be an assumption that SP will fund all services there should be more
emphasis on joint funding with PCT ACS etc.
•Preventative work needs to be done as well, particularly with young people
•Flexibility of funding
•Concerns of client group mix, not always good to have drinkers etc with non
•Instant access to support services
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
Should Supporting People develop more services for substance
misuse as opposed to separate drug and alcohol services?
•
•
•
•
Support to accommodate
Very little funding for alcohol
Accessible services
L.A housing criteria not always applied. SP should work with
LA’s to address this issue to encourage them to allow more
flexibility to allow people to stay in their homes as long as they
accept a support package etc.
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
Do services for people with alcohol problems need to be better
distributed throughout the county?
•
•
•
More services required
More wet provision needed to be
distributed
Wet centres / day centres /
accommodation
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
Is there is a need for specialist floating support for service users with
more chaotic and complex substance misuse problems who
may also be rough sleepers.?
• Work to establish and work with unmet need
such as sofa surfers, rough sleepers
• Work to prevent people losing tenancies
through drug / alcohol issues, anti – social
behaviour etc
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
Who should deliver that support, - specialist or generic
workers?
•Women’s refuges need workers to work with women to prevent children
going in to care and minimise risk due to drinking and drug use
•Stronger links between projects to share expertise, workers etc.
•Support should be determined on a district by district basis with flexibility
for cross boundary working when there is a particular problem in a certain
area
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org
What have we done / What Are our Plans ?
• New floating support In St. Albans
• Service user group to feed into commissioning
process
• Review and consultation on type and models of
support required
• Timescale = 18 months
Hertfordshire County Council
www.hertsdirect.org