I am a professional making a referral

There are a variety of free confidential services in the community that offer support to anyone looking to address their alcohol use in a non-residential setting. These services offer psychosocial supports such as key working, groups/day programmes, counselling supports, aftercare supports, family supports and a variety of other services. Each service varies in the supports they provide. They initially offer an assessment to determine the individuals needs and advise on a plan that would be best suited in supporting someone to achieve their goals.

Please refer to key-working and day programme supports to find a list of community organisations that may be able to support your client.

A keyworker is a point of contact with a particular organisation. They help you to identify your goals around your alcohol/drug use and other aspects of your life. The key worker will work with you to create a care plan which is a treatment plan that outlines the support and care required to help you to achieve your goals. The key worker will advocate on your behalf and will liaise with other services and make referrals with consent.

Please find a list of services that provide keyworking supports here.

Groups and day programmes offer a chance for people with similar experiences to help and inspire each other. These programmes are generally provided by community organisations and are aimed at people who are actively drinking/using substances and would like support in reducing, or ceasing their consumption in a community setting.

Some services also offer aftercare programmes aimed at individuals who are drug/alcohol free and would like support in their recovery.

Please find a list of services that provide group and day supports here.

This is a process where an individual is prescribed medication that helps them to manage withdrawal symptoms as they cut down their drinking through medical supervision of a GP with support from a community organisation through key working or group support. If you have a client who requires a medical detox, you will find a list of services below that offer psychosocial supports alongside medical support. These supports assist the individual through the recovery process and ensure there is an adequate aftercare plan in place to strengthen the individual’s capacity to remain in abstinence.

Please find a list of services that provide psychosocial support to individuals engaging in a community alcohol detox.

Counselling and psychotherapy can sometimes be an effective method to overcome the challenges of alcohol misuse and alcohol dependency. The focus on treatment is generally aimed at supporting the individual to overcome urges and learn coping techniques and skills to deal with their addiction. It offers a space whereby the individual can safely explore the source of the behaviour and supports the individual to reach a level of self-awareness that assists them in recovery. Different services have different criteria for accessing counselling supports. They also vary from being free, low-cost or sliding scale depending on your circumstances, so we recommend you contact them directly for more information.

Please find a list of services that provide counselling supports here.

There are a range of both public and private residential treatment services around the country. Residential Treatment involves staying in a treatment facility for a period of time. Some individuals may require in-patient detoxification where they have medical supervision. We recommend if you are looking for residential treatment to contact one of the community organisations who will be able to advise you on accessing residential supports, and support you with the referral process.

Please find a list of services that provide residential and in-patient supports here.