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Drugs Issues for Housing Staff

A significant number of all clients who come into housing keservices have drug or alcohol problems yet they often face major difficulty in getting the help they need. Research shows that homeless drug users are more likely to be

• Chaotic
• Difficult for services to engage
• Carrying out high risk injecting practices.
• Support
  

These issue mean that there well be needs for high levels of support to help with:-

• Preventing tenancy breakdown
  
• Physical and mental health
  
• Preventing acquisitive crime and antisocial behaviour
• Levels of substance misuse or sustaining abstinence post treatment
• Access to services and treatment
• Financial problems, including debt and arrears
• Legal problems and contact with the Criminal Justice system
• Relationships
  

With hostels in particular, there is a chance that as the service of last resort, they may have to manage clients whilst they are waiting for other services to respond or are in danger of relapse.
This course will look at principles of both screening and harm reduction so that interventions and referral can be properly structured. It will also look at the legal frameworks that affect the rights and responsibilities of both workers and clients.

Objectives

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

• Describe principles of harm reduction so people can be informed about risks associated with their drug use
• Screen clients for problematic substance use
• Operate within the legal framework and in particular, section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
• Structure an appropriate brief intervention with a client
• Identify the types of services that may be relevant for their clients and make an appropriate referral

Who will benefit from attending?

The learning on this course is essential for all front line workers especially those who may be alone with clients.

Length 2 days – 9:30 – 4:30 (or equivalent)

This course is designed and delivered in association with DrugScope

DrugScope is the UK's leading independent centre of expertise on drugs and the national membership organisation for the drug field. Our aim is to inform policy development and reduce drug-related harms - to individuals, families and communities. We provide quality drug information, promote effective responses to drug taking, undertake research, advise on policy-making, encourage informed debate - particularly in the media - and speak for our member organisations working on the ground.

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Please note
All our courses are commissioned for groups and organisations. If you have more than three people who would benefit from working together on this topic, use the link at the the bottom of the page to contact me, or click here to find out more about getting us to deliver a programme.

We regret that we do not have an open access programme