Our Services

Residential Rehabilitation Programme (Bristol & South Glos)

This is a 12 - 30 week second stage (fourth tier) rehabilitation treatment service providing mixed gender treatment and single gender accommodation. Places for up to 18 people are provided in three unregistered residential houses in different parts of Bristol. Referrals are taken from a wide range of sources, including primary treatment centres, prisons, probation (including DRRO's), etc. Clients are provided with appropriate housing, resettlement and support at the end of the programme. Housing costs are met from rental income and grants under Supporting People. Treatment costs are funded by social services, the probation services or from Drug Action Teams' pooled budgets.

The programme is groupwork based, drawing on an integrative model of treatment, including 12 Steps. Clients attend daily groups and receive weekly one-to-one counselling with their focal counsellor. A programme of workshops, alternative therapies and outdoor activities makes up the programme. Clients are expected to attend AA or NA Fellowship meetings. Clients have 24-hour access to the counselling service.

Structured Day Care

ARA provides a structured day care programme for people living within travelling distance of the treatment centre and who have a degree of stability within their lives. The programme has an initial phase whereby people who are preparing to become abstinent can receive regular support. The main programme is full-time and runs over 12 weeks. Referral is through one of the designated care management routes, or self referral.

Housing, Resettlement & Support

A team of housing support workers provide clients with a range of housing services. These include help with existing tenancy problems, user involvement in the management of the residential houses during treatment, pre-resettlement and resettlement support, including accessing appropriate housing on completion of the treatment programme. Clients are offered housing support for up to 6 months post treatment.

Training, Recreation, Education and Employment

ARA has a full-time input to clients' needs around education, training and employment including individual life skills development. Clients develop their own learning and work development plan while in treatment and access external adult education courses and voluntary work as well as attending in-house training seminars and workshops. Clients take part in a programme of outdoor activities and are encouraged to take up physical exercise and develop social interests.

Third Stage Housing

ARA manages 10 places offering independent accommodation in two housing schemes for clients who have completed the Opus Programme. The accommodation is available for up to a year and provides on-going support to clients in a high quality, safe environment in order to assist them to consolidate their recovery.

Aftercare

Structured aftercare is built into the programmes and involves counselling support for up to three months post treatment. In addition clients receive support with housing, training and employment issues for up to 6 months after completing treatment.

Independance in Recovery

ARA offers a free aftercare and support service for clients who have completed aftercare or who have been in treatment in the past and require support in maintaining their abstinence. The support includes access to a weekly therapeutic group, one-to-one counselling, specialist housing and benefits advice, learning and work guidance, specialist workshops plus a regular open drop-in facility. The Relapse Prevention service is based at a purpose built Centre in Bristol.

Tenancy Sustainment & Floating Support

Floating Support is offered to people who may or may not have completed ARA's treatment programme but who are seeking particular support in relation to maintaining their tenancy.

Alcohol Misuse Service

The Alcohol Misuse Service is funded by the Bristol Primary Care Trust and Bristol Social Services and Health and offers a comprehensive service to people in the city experiencing problems with alcohol. The service offers a range of interventions including:

Advice and Information

Brief Interventions

Counselling

Day Care

Drop Ins

Relapse Prevention

Support for Families

Referral links to NHS specialist services

GP surgeries outreach services

The Service has the primary goal of reducing the harm caused by alcohol. Referrals can be made to the service by professionals or by self referral. Work is both individual and group based.

The service is provided by a team of experienced and qualified practitioners together with a group of 10 volunteers, who are qualified counsellors at Diploma level. All staff and volunteers receive regular external clinical supervision.

Services are provided in central Bristol and at two outreach sites. The service works closely with the Robert Smith Unit (RSU) which is the NHS specialist alcohol service. Additionally, the two organisations run an enhanced alcohol service in South Bristol.

North Somerset Services

ARA North Somerset is a specialist drug and alcohol service working within Tiers 1 to 3 of the Models of Care framework. The main office is based in Weston-super-mare, on Boulevard. These services are conducted in designated Community Centres and various GP surgeries.

The team is made up of 16 employed staff and 10 volunteers offering the following range of services:

Structured Day Programme for clients who are seeking total abstinence;

Needle exchange with Harm Minimisation advice, blood borne virus support;

Brief interventions

One-to-One counselling

Drop-In Services;

Community Care Assessments for residential treatment;

After care and relapse prevention

Satellite services across the region

Alcohol Awareness Training

Criminal Justice Specific Services

Drug Arrest Referral;

Prison liasion;

Development of structured group, mentoring and education, training and employment opportunities;

Care Management;

Management of statutory orders such as Drug Rehabilitation requirements;

Alcohol Counselling

This is a unique service in Weston-super-Mare with a growing reputation for working positively with a hard-to-reach client group.

Further information on any aspect of the services offered can be obtained by contacting ARA on telephone number 0117-930-0282.