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Addiction Services ( Version française )

:: Introduction
:: Our Outpatient Counselling Services
:: Our Inpatient Addiction Service
:: Our Prevention Service
:: Useful Links

Introduction

This program, offered throughout the Northwest Zone of the Vitalité Health Network’s catchment area, includes prevention, detoxification and counselling services for individuals with addiction problems as well as their families and significant others. The service is offered through various programs, including those aimed at illicit drug, alcohol, gambling and cigarette addictions. A 10-bed inpatient detoxification unit is located in Edmundston.

Our Purpose
Provide services that are tailored to the needs of the population served by Northwest Zone of the Vitalité Health Network. Promote prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of those with addictions as well as their families.

Our Vision
Provide guidance to target clientele to help alleviate their problems while promoting wellness.

Our Approaches
Promote an overall holistic approach while taking into account all aspects of the human being: physiological, psychological, social and spiritual. Respect individuals by providing services that are adapted to their needs.

Our Mandate

• Provide high-quality services;
• Ensure a continuum of interventions between the various programs we offer;
• Involve the family or significant others;
• Take action within the communities by providing education and promoting awareness;
• Assess our programs.

Our Goal
Provide individual, family and group counselling services.

Our Outpatient Counselling Services

Objectives

• Provide clients and their families with information about addictions;
• Act as consultants with healthcare professionals;
• Provide programs that are tailored to clients’ needs;
• Provide services that are accessible to clients.

Accessibility
Counselling services are available in Edmundston (62 Queen Street), at the Grand Falls General Hospital and the Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Joseph in Saint-Quentin. The outpatient counselling staff reports to the Regional Director. All staff members must abide by standards of practice.

Tools
The staff has access to the assessment tools available, such as SASSI, MAST, DAST, CAGE, SOGS and the Addiction Severity Index.

Supervision
Outpatient Counselling team members may seek advice from one another (reflective team), they may seek advice from the Regional Director (more formal supervision) and they may also consult with appropriate resources.

Programs

• Individual counselling: There are four social workers in our region: two in Edmundston, one in Grand Falls and one in Saint-Quentin.
• Youth Program: Two social workers work in high schools. They work with adolescents in their environment on an individual and/or group basis. They also offer education sessions to parents.
• Compulsive Gambler Program: A social worker develops approaches and works with gamblers and their families. He/she also handles prevention and staff training.
• Family Program: This program offers group information sessions to families and significant others. It promotes a balanced family life as well as a great quality of life.
• LIFE Program: It is an outpatient rehabilitation program offered over 5 consecutive days. It involves a high-intensity group intervention and represents an alternative for those who cannot undergo the 21-day rehabilitation program.
• Group follow-up: This program is a two-hour outpatient group service provided on a weekly basis.
• Smoking: Two smoking cessation programs are available. The first one is aimed at high-school students and adults in the community. The second one is a peer-led smoking reduction program.

Our Inpatient Addiction Service

Goal
Provide safe and therapeutic detoxification. Help identify the dangers and consequences of addictions.

Objectives Reduce the risks related to alcohol and/or drug cessation; Provide the compulsive gambler with guidance to put an end to the gambling cycle; Assess all aspects of the individual’s life; Provide professional individual counselling; Provide information and group facilitation sessions; Help individuals develop a recovery plan based on their needs; Refer the individual to appropriate resources.

Program Duration
Each client is assessed individually, and the duration of stay is determined based on their specific needs.

Staff

• The nurse manager ensures proper conduct of clients admitted.
• The nurse assesses the client’s physical and psychological condition and helps them through their recovery.
• The healthcare attendant provides supportive care and active listening to clients. He/she is also involved in food services, housekeeping, facility security and our group facilitation program.
• The social worker acts in conjunction with the nursing team to identify and develop a recovery plan that meets client needs. He/she provides follow-up on an outpatient basis upon discharge.
• The physician is responsible for assessing the client’s physical condition. He/she acts as a consultant in case of physical complications during the client’s stay.

Admission Procedures and Criteria

• Anyone can make a request for admission. Individuals may be referred by their families, by a friend, by a member of a self-help group or by any other individuals or professionals;
• All admissions must be on a voluntary basis;
• To be admitted, a client must be at least 13 years old, they must have an alcohol and/or drug or gambling addiction and their physical and psychological condition must be stable.
• Clients under 16 years of age must have written consent from their parents or guardians to be admitted.

Number of Beds
We can accommodate up to twelve (12) clients.

Follow-up, Aftercare and Referral to Community Resources
After detoxification, several options are available: short- or long-term inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation, individual and/or group follow-up through our outpatient service and referral to appropriate resources.

Our Prevention Service

Programs and Services The community service provides the population served by RHA4 with: Education and prevention programs on addiction; Awareness-raising events: workshops, conferences, information booths and community services.

School Environment

• Exchange workshops for students;
• Experience-sharing by former drug addicts;
• Presentations for specific groups, e.g.: peer counselling, interactive theatre, etc.;
• Potential training for teachers on addiction problems and for school principals on the legal aspects of drug use;
• Special attention is paid to the school environment during Addiction Awareness Week each year in November and during the youth show in Edmundston.

Public

• Presentation to various groups, e.g.: nursing homes.
• The Regional Addiction and Gambling Council Inc. plays an important role in the community;
• Community events: youth fair, seniors’ fair, health fair;
• Several awareness-raising events, e.g.: provincial theme, coloured ribbon, drug-free day, media coverage and other.
  Businesses
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): program developed within local businesses. It makes it possible to reach the individual at the onset of their problems;
• Information sessions offered to employees and supervisors as part of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP);
• We can act as resource people in the implementation of EAPs;
• Referral agent training offered to business employees.
  Smoking
• A smoking cessation program has been offered to the population and interested businesses since 2001. In partnership with Public Health, the program offers group sessions to smokers to give them the tools they need.
• The provincial peer-led smoking reduction program is offered in at least one high school in the region. The department is responsible for developing the project aimed at promoting a healthy and smoke-free lifestyle. We take care of peer education and offer the smoking cessation program to interested students.

Conclusion

• Community services have to remain constantly active while taking into account the community’s evolving needs.
• This is done through a provincial forum whose mandate is to identify problems and develop programs.
• Priorities are set on a regular basis to take into account the needs of the population and maximize the impact of our interventions.

Useful Links

Addiction Services
http://www.gnb.ca/0051/0378/index-e.asp

Health Canada (Tobacco)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/tobacco/index.phpl

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
http://www.ccsa.ca/