Welcome to ARA - Addiction Recovery Agency, Bristol UK

About Us

Mission Statement

"To provide addiction treatment and support services to enable people to lead valued and fulfilled lives free from all forms of substance dependency. To particularly address the needs of homeless people or people in housing need through the additional provision of housing support services.

To work in partnership with other organisations to reduce the level of drug and alcohol dependency and the consequent damage to individuals, their families and the community."

Introduction

The Addiction Recovery Agency (ARA) is a voluntary organisation and registered charity (No 1002224) founded in Bristol in 1987. ARA provides abstinence based residential and structured day care services incorporating a fully integrated treatment strategy involving:

Residential Programme

This is a 24 week second stage (fourth tier) rehabilitation treatment service providing mixed gender treatment and single gender accommodation. Places for up to 25 people are provided in four unregistered residential houses in different parts of Bristol. Referrals are taken from a wide range of sources, including primary treatment centres, prisons, probation (including DTTOs), 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.

Groupwork & Counselling

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.

Housing, Resettlement & Support

A team of housing support workers provides clients with a range of housing services. These include resettlement support and access to appropriate housing on completion of the treatment programme.

Learning & Skills Development

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 a year after completing treatment.

Relapse Prevention

ARA offers a free Relapse Prevention Service for clients based in a purpose built city centre Relapse Prevention Centre 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.

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.

ARA is actively involved in local Drug Action Teams as well as the Bristol Drug Services Providers' Forum. It is a founding member of the European Association for the Treatment of Addictions UK (EATA) and is a member of DrugScope and Homeless Link. ARA aims to be QuADS compliant in all respects. Further information on any aspect of the services offered can be obtained by contacting ARA on telephone number 0117-930-0282 or visiting ARA's website at www.addictionrecovery.org.uk.