Merchants Quay Ireland Homeless & Drugs Services PO Box 11958, Dublin 8. Location: Merchants Quay Ireland, 28 Winetavern Street, Dublin 8

Transcription

1 ANNUAL Review 2011

2 A Commuity of Hospitality, Hope ad Justice Merchats Quay Irelad Homeless & Drugs Services PO Box 11958, Dubli 8 Locatio: Merchats Quay Irelad, 28 Wietaver Street, Dubli 8 Tel: Fax: ifo@mqi.ie web: The Merchats Quay Project is a Compay limited by guaratee. Reg Charity No CHY The Fracisca Social Justice Iitiatives is a Compay limited by guaratee. Reg Charity No CHY St Fracis Housig Associatio Limited by guaratee. Reg Charity No

3 Cotets Chairma s Itroductio 2 Lookig Back 3 Visio ad Missio 5 Addressig Crisis 6 Ope Access Homeless Services 6 - The Drop I Cetre for People who are Homeless (Failtiu) 6 - Primary Health Care Services 6 - Exteded Day Service 7 - New Commuities Support Service 7 Ope Access Drugs Service 7 - Needle Exchage - Health Promotio Uit 7 - Crisis Cotact Service 8 - Outreach Service 8 - Family Support Group 8 - Work with Prisoers 8 - Easy Access to Educatio for Homeless People 8 Midlads Services 11 Athloe Ope Door Cetre 11 Midlads Traveller Specific Drugs Project 11 Family Support Services 11 Commuity Harm Reductio Services 12 Rehabilitatio ad Aftercare Service 12 Natioal Priso Based Addictio Cousellig Service 13 Drug Free Treatmet Services 13 High Park Residetial Programme 13 St Fracis Farm Residetial Programme 14 Traiig 14 New Developmets 15 - Riverbak Cetre 15 - St Fracis Farm Detox uit 15 Promotig Positive Chage 9 Progressio Pathways Programmes 9 - Stabilisatio Services 9 - Ito Educatio ad Employmet Programmes 9 - The Gateway Programme 9 - MQI Equality for Wome Programme 9 - Aftercare Housig (Ballymout ad Leixlip) 10 - Traiig & Work Programmes 11 Fiace & Fudraisig 16 Ackowledgemets 19 1

4 Chairmas Itroductio Each year the Aual Report of Merchats Quay Irelad gives us a chace to reflect o the effects of the may services MQI provide to our society s most vulerable members. As the ecoomic crisis pushed more ad more people oto the margis of society i 2011, it was agai clear that homelessess ad addictio are still major challeges to be addressed i the Irelad of today. Yet thaks to the kid support of our fuders this past year, MQI cotiued to welcome the growig umbers of those eedig help. MQI s work has log bee ispired by the life ad example of Fracis of Assisi, the thirteeth cetury sait who reached out i love to those who were margialised i his day. America Fracisca friar Hugh Nooa put it best whe he wrote: People are still lookig for a defiitio of love. But it is t a defiitio - it s a doig; it s fillig the eed. It s ot talkig to the ear, but to the huma heart. I 2011 MQI staff throughout the coutry filled this eed speakig to the huma heart i their every deed helpig all those who came to us, without judgemet. I thak all our staff, full-time, part-time, ad voluteers as well as the members of our Board, for your professioalism, your commitmet ad your ethusiasm. It s bee a excitig twelve moths that saw the completio of MQI s ew state of the art detoxificatio facility at St Fracis Farm i Tullow. Through the geerosity of our doors we were also able to begi reovatig the Riverbak theatre o Merchats Quay, soo to be our flagship buildig ad home to MQI s frotlie day services i Dubli City Cetre. The Irish people rightly have a reputatio for a deep compassio i the face of sufferig. Eve i the midst of a global recessio Merchats Quay Irelad s fuders ad doors have show icredible geerosity, ad I wat to thak each of you, both statutory ad volutary. It is because of you that MQI ca cotiue to offer care ad support to our cliets. Agai, thak you for your ogoig trust ad support. Hugh McKea, OFM Chair of Merchats Quay Irelad IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU THAT MQI CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER CARE AND SUPPORT TO OUR CLIENTS THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING TRUST AND SUPPORT Our Board of Directors Rev Hugh McKea OFM - Chairma Mr Bria Melaugh Rev Joseph McMaho OFM Rev Kiera Croi OFM Rev Niall O Coell OFM Rev Patrick Lych OFM Mr Mick Price 2 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

5 Lookig Back: The ew medically supervised detox uit at MQI s St Fracis Farm i Co. Carlow was completed i late Admissios commeced i Represetig a thirty percet icrease i beds o the atioal detox provisio, St Fracis will help to meet demad ad ease waitig times for access to detoxificatio ad drug free rehabilitatio. Toy Geoghega, CEO of Merchats Quay Irelad, Miister Roisi Shorthall ad Fr. Hugh McKea - OFM at last year's Aual Review lauch As I look back o 2011, it is impossible ot to metio the ogoig impact of the ecoomic recessio ad the Govermet s austerity measures o MQI s services ad those who rely o them. For Merchats Quay Irelad, as for so may others, 2011 was a challegig year. The devastatig effects of the ecoomic dowtur ca clearly be see i the umbers of me ad wome turig to MQI s Homeless Services. Our free meals service, especially, icreased dramatically climbig from almost 64,000 meals served i 2010 to over 73,000 i Similarly, our Primary Healthcare Service reflected the harsh physical realities of homelessess ad life o the streets, with a rise of over twety percet i G.P. itervetios that ecompassed everythig from woud care to chroic illess treatmet. MQI s Drugs Services for 2011 reveals a more complex picture. There was a slight decrease i uptake of our Dubli eedle exchage service but beyod Dubli, i our Midlads services, demad for eedle exchage ad drug treatmet services rose. I fact, of the 4051 idividuals who accessed our eedle exchage services i 2011, early te people per week, were first time users of the exchage. I additio, the strog demad for Merchats Quay s stabilisatio, detoxificatio, drug free rehabilitatio ad aftercare services far outstrips availability. This results i icreased waitig times for access especially detox ad rehab. As the recessio cotiues, history tells us that more people will fall ito poverty. I tur, demad for MQI s homeless ad drug services will icrease. With this i mid Merchats Quay have bee workig to grow our services accordigly: - I 2011 reovatios bega o MQI s ew Riverbak Cetre to brig all of our frotlie, Dubli-based homeless ad drug services uder oe roof. The Cetre will allow for a more efficiet use of resources while equippig MQI to help the risig umber of people who seek our services. These ew projects, alog with MQI s dayto-day services, are oly possible with the support of our fuders ad doors, both statutory ad volutary. At Merchats Quay Irelad we are hugely grateful for your geerosity. Your trust, i this tough ecoomy, is remarkable. I this regard, I particularly wat to thak the carig idividuals, families ad compaies that give so geerously to support our work with those affected by homelessess ad drugs. It is my promise to you that Merchats Quay Irelad will cotiue workig to help people out of homelessess, ad to assist those who struggle with drug problems. We appreciate the difficult budgetary positio the Govermet must maage but, withi this, the protectio of the most vulerable i society must be prioritised. If it is true that the measure of ay society lies i how they care for their most vulerable members, your support ad faith i the work of Merchats Quay Irelad speaks volumes. From all of us here, thak you. Toy Geoghega Chief Executive Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

6 MerChats Quay LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE Dubli MQI Ope Access Drugs ad Homeless services Chapelizod Stabilisatio ad Drug-Free programmes High Park, Drumcodra MQI Residetial Rehabilitatio MQI Traiig Leixlip Aftercare house Ballymout Aftercare House Moutjoy Priso Complex MQI Priso Cousellig Cloverhill MQI Priso Cousellig Wheatfield MQI Priso Cousellig 2. Shelto Abbey, Co Wicklow - MQI Priso Cousellig 4 3. St Fracis Farm, Tullow Co. Carlow - MQI Detox ad Rehabilitatio 4. Cork - MQI Priso Cousellig 5. Limerick - MQI Priso Cousellig 6. Birr, Co Offaly, MQI Midlads Outreach 7. Athloe, Co Westmeath - MQI Ope Door 8. Portlaoise - MQI Midlads Services Midlads / Portlaoise MQI Priso Cousellig 9. Logford, Co Logford - MQI Midlads Outreach 19 Locatios 11 Couties 10. Castlerea, Co Roscommo - MQI Priso Cousellig 11. Loughra House, Co Cava - MQI Priso Cousellig 4 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

7 Merchats Quay Irelad is a atioal volutary agecy providig services for homeless people ad for drug users. We provide creative ad iovative resposes to the issues of drug use ad homelessess i Irelad. VISION We look forward to a society where obody is without a place to call home ad where drug related harm is miimized ad the rage ad quality of drugs services is maximized. VALUES Providig quality services for drug users ad homeless people Offerig access for the most margialised Promotig positive chage Workig at the cuttig edge Ivolvig our Service Users Valuig our staff Maagig fiaces prudetly Promotig partership MISSION Merchats Quay Irelad is a commuity of hospitality, hope ad justice. We seek to: Work for justice ad opportuity for those who are excluded i partership with those who share our aims Create a place of safety, compassio ad welcome for all who eter our doors ad offer high quality services to meet their eeds Remai committed to supportig all who work i Merchats Quay to eable us to achieve our full potetial i our various roles Believe i ad cherish the value of every huma beig i keepig with our commitmet to social justice comig from our origis i the Fracisca Traditio. 5

8 addressig CrIsIs OPEN ACCESS SERVICES OPEN ACCESS HOMELESS SERVICES Durig 2011 more ad more people came to our homeless services seekig help. Over the course of the year we provided over 73,000 meals for homeless people across our day ad eveig services. We cotiue to offer meals at our Day Cetre ad through our Exteded Day (Eveig) Service, which is operated i cojuctio with Focus Irelad. THE DROP-IN CENTRE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS (FÁILTIÚ) The aim of the Drop-i Service is to provide a oe stop shop offerig a rage of iterliked services meetig the key daytime eeds of homeless persos with the twi purpose of miimisig harm associated with life o the streets ad offerig clear pathways towards settlemet ad reitegratio. Our drop-i cetre is ope seve days a week from 7.15a.m. to 4.30p.m. with shorter opeig hours at weekeds. I 2012 the drop i service with the health care cetre will move to the ew Riverbak buildig o Merchats Quay ear to our curret Cook street site. The services we provide for homeless people from this cetre are as follows: Iformatio, Advice ad Crisis Support Service: The drop-i service icludes assessmet of service users eeds, advice ad iformatio o health, social welfare, emergecy accommodatio, log-term housig ad other issues. I 2011 we recorded 9252 supportive itervetios with service users of our homeless service, a icrease of 17% o Itervetios iclude key workig sessios, referrals to emergecy accommodatio, social work services, medical services ad social welfare services, help i cotactig frieds or family, access to drug treatmet ad support i a variety of other matters. The Housig First Outreach Team liks i with this service o a weekly basis. 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Figure 1. Homeless Services betwee 2008 ad 2011 Meals Support Itervetios Primary Health Care Project workers help homeless people from a variety of settigs - rough sleepig, hostels, B&B s, short-term arragemets with frieds/families ad trasitioal ad supported accommodatio. Our staff aim to assist those who are homeless to lik i with short term crisis accommodatio, with the evetual goal of helpig cliets ito more stable log term housig. Meals Service: Homeless persos are offered two meals a day (breakfast ad luch). A total of 58,858 meals were provided i 2011 (this figure excludes meals provided by the EDS - Eveig Service). Suday remaied our busiest day with more tha 350 persos attedig for breakfast or luch each Suday. PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES MQI is workig i partership with the HSE i providig a primary health care service for homeless people. The service has Geeral Practitioers, a Detist, Nurses ad a Cousellor. I total there were 3331 health care itervetios durig the year. Nursig: I 2011 there were a total of 1728 ursig itervetios, or 144 per moth. The drop-i urse led cliic provides a full rage of primary health care services such as woud care maagemet, blood testig, sexual health, medicatio maagemet, ad wome s ad me s health issues. Metal health presetatios rage from acutely suicidal cliets to those who eed to be referred back to services they have lost cotact with. Referrals to tertiary services such as A & E ad other hospital services ad advocacy are a large part of the ursig role. The citywide SafetyNet Primary Health Care Service, of which the MQI medical uit is part, is still developig ad provides for cosistecy ad cotiuity of care betwee those homeless services ivolved. Cousellig: Homelessess is ofte associated with severe stresses ad difficulties i life, ad it is ot surprisig that may people fid it hard to cope. The Cousellig Service for homeless people works at two levels firstly providig a brief crisis cousellig service targeted at service users i distress ad secodly offerig medium to log-term cousellig relatig to issues such as relatioships ad bereavemet as well as issues of drugs ad homelessess. I additio we provide group support for homeless service users attedig our day programmes. We provided 549 cousellig sessios i G.P Service: Our two GPs dealt with i the regio of 1054 cosultatios or 88 per moth. A icrease of 21% o The service is used by cliets with a variety of acute ad chroic illesses. 6 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

9 EXTENDED DAY SERVICE The service established to meet the eveig time eeds of homeless people ad rough sleepers i partership with Focus Irelad cotiued throughout Over 1000 people who are homeless used the service i The EDS addresses a sigificat gap i services whereby there were o services available to homeless people i the eveig time from 5pm to 8.30pm. The service provided eveig meals, showers, laudry, crisis support, advice ad iformatio icludig assistace arragig overight accommodatio for homeless people. Over 29,000 meals were provided i 2011 (up from 13,559 i 2010). *as these EDS meals are provided joitly with Focus Irelad, MQI reports o half of the EDS statistics as part of MQI's aual figure. NEW COMMUNITIES SUPPORT SERVICE By the late 2000 s the profile of homeless people attedig MQI services had chaged substatially by 2011 more tha oe third of all visits to the service were made by people from ew commuities livig i Irelad especially from Easter Europe. MQI received fudig from Pobal for the Homeless Measure ad New Commuities Support Worker to facilitate support for people from the ew EU states who have become homeless i Irelad. The New Commuities Project worker is fluet i Eglish ad a umber of Easter Europea laguages ad provides a rage of supports icludig advice ad iformatio, referral ad advocacy for these service users. As part of this project MQI is developig a rage of iformatio materials i a rage of laguages MQI Health Cetre Receptio o Aids Day 2011 about the various services ad supports ope to people who are homeless i Irelad. I 2011 the New Commuities Outreach Worker provided oe to oe support to 112 service users the greatest umber were from Polad (53%). I total 77% of ew commuity cliets were from Easter Europea coutries. The services provided to ew commuity cliets are: 1-1 support sessios Accommodatio support Repatriatio Provisio of clothig Referral to other agecies Assistace after loss of idetity documets Reveue & Social Welfare applicatios & appeals Assistace with opeig bak accouts IN 2011 THERE WERE 21,819 VISITS TO DRUG SERVICES AND 18,951 NEEDLE EXCHANGES. OPEN ACCESS DRUGS SERVICES These services ca be accessed by drug users simply by walkig i from the street. For this reaso we are ofte the first place to which drug users tur for help. Services iclude: NEEDLE EXCHANGE HEALTH PROMOTION UNIT Here we provide drug users with iformatio about the risks associated with drug use ad the meas to miimise such risks. We also offer drug users a pathway ito treatmet ad the possibility of livig life without drugs. I our eedle exchage ad health promotio service our mai focus is o HIV ad hepatitis prevetio, promotig safer ijectig techiques ad safer sex, ad o providig iformatio o overdose ad other risks. We also offer early referral to drug treatmet services. I 2011 there were 21,819 visits to Drug Services ad 18,951 eedle exchages idividuals used the service of which 492 were ew cliets. It is of ote that there was a heroi drought i the witer of as evideced by the low umbers of visits to the Needle exchage i Jauary 2011 (810 cliets), this rose to 2,043 i November 2011, a figure similar to 2009 levels. Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

10 As part of our health promotio remit, a total of 1220 safer ijectig workshops were udertake with ijectig drug users i CRISIS CONTACT SERVICE May of the drug users who come to us are i crisis. Some have become homeless, others have fiacial problems or are i trouble with the law. Relatioship or family breakdow is a issue for may people. We offer drug users practical help i gettig through such difficulties by providig cousellig, advice ad iformatio; through referral to other relevat services; or by providig support to people facig court actio ad workig with people i priso. OUTREACH SERVICE This service aims to make cotact with drug users ot egaged with services ad to make referrals to Merchats Quay Irelad services as well as to other exteral agecies. I 2011 the outreach team cotacted vulerable drug users o the street, collected used eedles ad syriges, ad also liaised with local commuity groups, the Gardaí, Dubli City Coucil ad other drugs ad homeless service providers. The geographical area covered by the outreach service was predomiatly aroud the Merchat s Quay area, outreach workers also liaised with a variety of other busiess, residets, idividual tourists ad services saw a icrease i the umber of o-atioals comig i cotact with the outreach service. Cliets were assisted with accommodatio, clothig, food, showers ad basic services. We also egaged with tourists i the area ad made them aware of the risks i the area. The service visited a umber of cliets i hospitals ad ursig homes throughout the year. This ivolved workig with medical staff ad social workers to progress care plas. Our work ivolved locatig cliets who were ot presetig to services. We also accompaied people to doctors, court ad other case meetigs. The service egaged with over 2,000 cliets throughout 2011, the majority of whom were homeless. Before Merchats Quay s Family Support Services, there was othig for ayoe. Parets had owhere to go they did t kow aythig about drugs util they discovered their child was usig drugs. They were livig with the problem ad ot livig with it very well, either FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP The Family Support Group meets regularly providig a forum where parets ad other close relatives ad frieds of drug users are offered support ad advice o a rage of issues. The participats provide support for each other ad the group is cotiually ope to ew members. The Family Support Group is liked to the Citywide Family Support Network which offers a opportuity to raise issues at a atioal level. MQI s Family support group i Dubli worked with 20 idividuals o a weekly basis throughout The group met up every Tuesday eveig with a average attedace of 10 cliets. WORK WITH CLIENTS IN CUSTODY Merchats Quay Irelad edeavours to cotiue workig with service users withi the priso system. We offer support, advice ad cousellig with a particular focus o accessig appropriate post-release optios. Celia, Voluteer Family Support, MQI This process etails a close workig arragemet with the Probatio ad Welfare Service ad with members of the legal professio. EASY ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE With the support of Pobal Dormat Accouts Fud, MQI operated a ew Educatioal Iitiative for Homeless People i The iitial focus of work has bee o developig a rage of ope access educatioal iitiatives for homeless people availig of a wide rage of homeless services i Dubli. Cotet developed icludes: Decisio Makig Self-awareess Assertive commuicatio Budgetig Skills tasters Computers, Gardeig, Art, I 2011, over the course of the year the project worked with a total of 45 idividuals, 34 males ad 11 females. 8 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

11 promotig positive Chage PROGRESSION PATHWAY PROGRAMMES These services offer the first steps away from crisis drug use ad towards stability. They are aimed at people who are curretly usig street drugs, or those recetly egaged i treatmet ad seekig more stability ad structure i their lives. Services iclude STABILISATION SERVICES Methadoe Prescribig Treatmet ad Support: Methadoe substitutio therapy helps people to break their liks with illegal ad high-risk drug use. This programme ca oly take cliets from the Dubli 8 Catchmet area. There were 18 service users o this programme i This programme is delivered i partership with the HSE. Ito Educatio ad Employmet: This programme offers therapeutic groups, life skills traiig, persoal developmet work ad pre-employmet traiig to help drug users reitegrate ito society. This dual programme cotais two strads, a Drug Free strad ad a Methadoe Stabilisatio strad. This programme has strog liks with the City of Dubli VEC ad allows us to iclude a strog educatioal compoet for this programme, which is of cosiderable importace i addressig the educatioal disadvatage experieced by so may of our service users. I 2011, 10 people completed the Drug Free Programme ad 15 completed the stabilisatio programme. I terms of progressio for drug free 3 wet ito employmet; 1 trasferred to aother programme; 3 ito further educatio. Chapelizod Art Room MQI Equality for Wome Programme: With Support from the Pobal Equality for Wome iitiative MQI was able to develop a rage of low threshold traiig opportuities for wome as well as a rage of other supports (e.g. iterview skills traiig, CV preparatio) aimed at assistig margialised wome with a history of drug use to move towards further traiig ad employmet. Traiig iputs provided icluded iformatio ad commuicatios techology, literacy, persoal developmet, persoal groomig ad presetatio, hair care ad holistic therapies. I 2011, a total of 46 wome participated i these classes over the course of MQI commissioed a evaluatio of the project i December 2011, the mai fidigs of the report were that uptake o the programmes was strog ad that the programme has carved out a distict iche for female cliets withi the MQI services. This model may be replicated i other MQI services subject to fudig. The Gateway Programme: offers a bridge betwee crisis services ad stabilisatio services. This Programme provides oe to oe support liked to a rage of leisure ad learig opportuities. The aim is to ecourage service users to examie alteratives to drug use. Oe of the mai features of this program is acupucture withi the Ope Access Service. I 2011, there were a total of 795 visits to this service. MQI St Fracis Farm Detox ad Rehabilitatio cetre Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

12 Aftercare Housig - Ballymout This iovative programme offers trasitioal accommodatio to drug users who fid themselves homeless after completig residetial drug treatmet. The programme aims at assistig the itegratio of former drug users ito maistream society by providig opportuities for those who had drug or alcohol problems to participate i group ad oe-to-oe therapeutic sessios ad activities. Residets are required to be ivolved i a appropriate Day Programme (such as the MQI Drug Free Day Programme) ad are offered oe to oe support, a aftercare group ad a weekly commuity ight with staff. Service users settlemet eeds are addressed from the start of their stay. All service users are also offered a oe-to-oe cousellig ad support durig their stay. I 2011 Ballymout House operated with a average of 3 people stayig i this 3 bed house over the course of the year. Aftercare Housig - Leixlip, Co. Kildare Fidig accommodatio for the large proportio of cliets leavig our residetial services who are effectively homeless has bee a big issue for MQI i recet years. I 2010 we made a sigificat breakthrough i this regard i partership with the Respod! Housig Associatio, who agreed to provide us with a six bedroom group home i Leixlip, Co. Kildare. Merchats Quay is the first ad oly place to go at that hour we ope earlier tha ay other service. If we did t ope for breakfast the me ad wome would have owhere to go. They re just so happy to come through our doors, to have that bit of welcome. The the heat hits them ad they begi to relax. They get breakfast, ad it s good. All they have is oe aother, ad us. It s ot a awful lot, ad they love the thigs we do here Mags Ope Access As with our aftercare house i Ballymout, Co. Dubli, residets are required to be ivolved i a appropriate Day Programme ad are offered oe to oe support, a aftercare group ad a weekly commuity ight with staff. Service users settlemet eeds are addressed from the start of their stay. I 2011 Leixlip had 9 admissios with 5 cliets o average i the house for a average teacy duratio of 5 moths. MQI High Park Residetial Rehabilitatio Cetre, Dubli 10 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

13 Merchats Quay has doe a hell of a lot. I mea like I kow a lot of people that have died from drugs ad everythig else but I also kow a lot of people out there are still clea (drug free) ad they have Merchats Quay to thak for it Cliet Traiig ad Work Programmes FÁS Commuity Employmet Services MQI works i partership with FÁS to provide hads o traiig for prospective drugs workers, cliets ad post-treatmet service users. This is doe through a umber of Commuity Employmet (CE) projects based i our services. CE projects provide participats with skills that eable them to access permaet employmet. I may cases our CE projects have ofte provided service users with their first experiece of paid employmet. I 2011 a total of 86 persos participated i CE programmes at Merchats Quay Irelad. Of those 35 completed their FAS placemet at Merchats Quay durig the course of the year. A 34% icrease o completio i compariso to Of these, 2 secured permaet employmet ad 7 moved ito full time further educatio. I additio 25 completed a MQI residetial or commuity based drugs itervetio programme as part of their CE project. MIDLANDS SERVICES With support ad fudig from the Midlads Regioal Drugs Task Force ad the HSE Merchats Quay Irelad provides much eeded services i the four Midlads couties of Laois, Logford, Offaly ad Westmeath. The MQI Family Support ad Commuity Harm Reductio Team was established i late 2008 ad provides dedicated outreach services for idividuals actively usig drugs ad Family Support Services focused o the eeds of the families of active drug users The team cosists of two family support workers ad two full-time ad two part time Outreach Workers workig across the four couties: Athloe Ope Door Cetre The Athloe Ope Door Cetre provides a rage of services for drug users i Athloe icludig a Drop i Cetre offerig hospitality ad crisis support, vocatioal traiig iitiatives ad support towards rehabilitatio ad reitegratio. The service had bee operated by Westmeath Commuity Developmet for may years, but followig a Evaluatio i 2010 it was agreed that MQI would take o resposibility for the service from Jauary 2011 i order to ehace services for cliets. I 2011 the Ope Door project recorded 1415 visits ad provided 400 meals, with a average umber of 44 cliets a moth. Midlads Traveller Specific Drugs Project Sice October 2010 Merchats Quay Irelad has bee deliverig a ew drugs support service aimed at Travellers livig i the four Midlads couties. The aim of the service is to provide support for Travellers i relatio to their idividual substace misuse icludig: To respod to the issue of substace use ad misuse (alcohol ad drugs) through a commuity developmet approach withi the Traveller commuity i the Logford, Westmeath, Laois ad Offaly i a culturally appropriate maer, with a particular focus o Travellers who are drug users, their families ad the wider Traveller commuity. To Icrease access to drugs services for travellers who are drug users. To Icrease awareess of drugs ad drug related services withi the Travellig Commuity. To Improved supports for Traveller families affected by drug use By the ed of 2011 the Traveller project worked with 38 cliets ad provided 1187 oe to oe ad phoe support sessios throughout the year. Midlads Family Support Service This ivolves the provisio of services ad itervetios that support families affected by problem drug use. Such services ofte cocer cousellig, guidace ad advice. Family support is see as icreasigly importat i the areas of drug treatmet ad prevetio. The Family Support Service assists families to: deal with the trauma associated with discoverig their loved oe is ivolved i drug use work with vulerable families i the area of drugs prevetio act as a reliable source of iformatio ad advice o drug use ad related issues deal with the reactio of eighbours ad others overcome self blamig resposes create positive copig strategies that will help parets ad the drug user make positive decisios build their capacity to respod Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

14 set rules of behaviour for those livig i their house challege views that they caused it, ca cotrol it, or ca cure it. We also provide oe to oe support by appoitmet for parets ad other close relatives seekig advice ad support. We work to proactively lik people with other support or treatmet services that may be relevat to their eeds. I 2011 our Family Support Service provided 140 group sessios. There were 723 support telephoe calls ad 505 oe to oe support sessios. Midlads Commuity Harm Reductio Services We are aware that most local people ad orgaisatios are very cocered about the level of public ad commuity harm associated with drug use i their commuities. They are also very worried about the risks that drug users may expose themselves to. Aims The aims of this service are to: Act as a resource for commuity groups, i the target areas, i their efforts to miimise the impact of problem drug use o their commuities. Reduce the level of idividual ad commuity harm experieced i local commuities as a result of drug use i the target areas. Reduce the associated level of public health risk experieced i the desigated areas. Provide harm reductio ad crisis support services to local drug users i places ad at times where such services are uavailable. Esure that problems associated with drug use are miimised. Promote a partership model betwee Residets Associatios, Estate Maagemet Committees, Commuity Policig Services ad Midlads Outreach Service i tacklig the drugs issue at local level. MQI Ope Door Garde, Athloe Our harm reductio / eedle exchage service provided over 4,000 oe to oe itervetios i Midlads Rehabilitatio ad Aftercare Service Merchats Quay Irelad, with the support of the Midlads Regioal Drugs Task Force established a Rehabilitatio ad Aftercare Service i September The purpose of this service is to provide a rage of rehabilitatio ad aftercare supports targetig cliets from the regio icludig those exitig drug treatmet or exitig priso. This ivolves assistig cliets i the process of regaiig their capacity for daily life from the impact of problem drug use ad eablig their reitegratio ito their commuity. Our Rehabilitatio ad Aftercare Worker provides case maagemet for cliets with a view to esurig that all have their eeds assessed, ad have the opportuity to participate i developig a care pla offerig a pathway towards rehabilitatio. She also provides psychosocial support for persos leavig drug treatmet or released from priso via oe to oe support ad aftercare group work. By the ed of idividual cliets ad 3 groups were accessig this service. There were 607 support itervetios ad 67 groups ra i Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

15 NATIONAL PRISON BASED ADDICTION COUNSELLING SERVICE Overview of Services I 2010 Merchats Quay Irelad wo our secod successive teder completio for the delivery of the atioal cousellig service for prisoers with drugs ad alcohol problems. This service operates i 12 prisos across the coutry. The service offers structured assessmets ad evidece-based cousellig itervetios with clearly defied treatmet plas ad goals. This occurs withi the cotext of care plaig withi multidiscipliary teams. Cousellig is available to prisoers who have a history of drug use icludig opiates, cocaie, ecstasy, amphetamies, LSD, axyolitics, hypotics, alcohol, caabis ad other illicit ad licit drugs. Services offered iclude: Brief itervetios Motivatioal Iterviewig ad Motivatioal Ehacemet therapy 12-step facilitatio programme Relapse Prevetio Cogitive behavioural therapy which would also iclude problem solvig approaches, developmet of alterative copig strategies, axiety ad stress maagemet ad ager maagemet Harm Reductio Approaches [Merchats Quay Irelad] really helped him. They eased a lot of the pai he was carryig. That was the breakig poit for him. Today he has his ow home ad a job, I m so proud of him. Noree Voluteer ad Mother of past MQI cliet Outcomes I 2011 the Addictio Cousellig Service provided i excess of 10,293 cousellig sessios plus 2,830 group attedaces i the prisos over the course of the year. 26 cousellors are workig i the Irish Priso Service, 13 part-time ad 13 are full-time. Moutjoy Drug Treatmet Programme i partership with Aa Liffey Drug Project, Ballymu Youth Actio Project ad Coolmie The Addictio Cousellig Service coordiates a structured 8 week drug treatmet programme for 9 participats i the medical uit i Moutjoy. The course is aimed at prisoers who are detoxig from methadoe or illicit substaces. Group work ad educatioal sessios are provided by MQI, Coolmie, Ballymu Youth Actio Project ad Aa Liffey Drug Project. Other agecies are also ivited i to provide iputs o topics relevat to the group. The objective is to help participats to uderstad the impact of their drug use ad to equip them to stay drug free i the future. The course aims to ehace persoal learig ad help participats to make iformed choices. The cousellors provide oe to oe support for all participats o the DTP to support the learig ad explore the experiece of workig withi the group. The Cousellig Service meets oce durig each programme with represetatives of the other exteral agecies to discuss how the group was fuctioig ad to look at ways to improve cotet ad delivery. The course was very successful i 2011, of the 7 courses i the caledar year, oly 4 out of 63 selected did ot complete. Further work is required to support participats after completio ad participats ca still cotiue to atted for oe to oe cousellig with aother MQI cousellor if they are moved to the Traiig Uit or a Ope Priso after the course. DRUG FREE TREATMENT SERVICES Our Drug Free Treatmet Services aim at providig easily accessible treatmet for drug users who wish to become drug free. Service users ca be self referred or may be referred from a wide variety of agecies across the coutry. High Park Residetial Programme This is a 17 week fully residetial programme desiged to help participats to become ad remai drug free. The programme is a low threshold programme that seeks to attract service users who might ot otherwise egage i drug free treatmet such as homeless drug users ad female drug users. The emphasis is o assistig service users to gai isight ito the issues which uderpi their drug use ad developig realistic measures to prevet relapse. The High Park programme offers idividual care plas which, where ecessary icorporate ihouse detoxificatio i partership with commuity GPs, idividual cousellig, group therapy, educatioal groups, work assigmets ad recreatioal activities. I 2011 there were 50 admissios to the High Park programme. The proportio of homeless persos accessig the service i 2011 was 66% of all itake. A total of 4 persos were admitted for commuity assisted detoxificatio i 2011 ad 75% of these successfully completed the detoxificatio. I 2011, 24 cliets completed the full programme, compared to 22 i Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

16 St. Fracis Farm Residetial Programme This is a therapeutic facility which, util September 2011 offered a log-term programme of six moths duratio for people with a history of problematic drug use. We decided to reduce the programme legth to 14 weeks i October 2011 the decisio to reduce the legth of the programme relates to the fact that from 2011 we have a ew detox facility o site, offerig 4-6 weeks treatmet for cliets may of whom are expected to advace o to the rehabilitatio programme, ad because we have icreased our rage of aftercare beds ad services. The move is also i lie with research evidece showig that the optimal legth of time for a residetial treatmet programme is i the regio of three moths. This chage meas that greater umbers of cliets seekig drug free treatmet used St Fracis farm i At St. Fracis Farm we provide a safe drug free eviromet where service users ca adjust to life without drugs ad make positive choices about their future. We also afford service users the opportuity to explore the reasos for their drug use ad to lear more effective copig mechaisms. We provide former drug users with access to traiig ad educatio, as a meas to gaiig employmet ad we eable service users to develop their idividual, social ad iterpersoal skills. The programme covers areas of relapse prevetio, oe to oe cousellig, group therapy, self esteem semiars, assertiveess traiig, ager maagemet, farm traiig, literacy skills, ad computer skills traiig (ECDL). Service users also receive traiig i Emergecy First Aid ad i life skills ad budgetig. I additio service users are offered the opportuity to participate i Yoga classes ad reflexology ad fortightly spirituality workshops. vegetable productio, ad i geeral farmig. The food produced at the farm is used to supply the kitches i our various cetres, feedig up to three hudred people every day. The St. Fracis Farm Rehab programme had 40 admissios i A total of 15 cliets (38%) were from the South East regio. 15 cliets completed the full programme i cliets part completed the programme i TRAINING I 2011 a total of 1353 people participated i 26 Merchats Quay Traiig programmes. The courses offered icluded: Cliical Skills Traiig such as Motivatioal Iterviewig,Cogitive Behavioural Therapy, Midfuless & Groupwork Up-skillig & Developmet such as Maagemet Traiig & Supervisio Skills Health & Safety traiig icludig First Aid; Therapeutic Crisis Itervetio & Maual Hadlig Cliet Support skills i areas of bereavemet & loss; suicide ad self harm & social welfare traiig. MQI/Uiversity College Dubli Certificate i Drugs Cousellig Theory & Itervetio Skills delivered i 2 locatios ; Dubli & Cork MQI/Uiversity College Dubli Diploma i Drugs Cousellig Theory & Itervetio Skills delivered i Dubli 139 people participated i our three Uiversity Courses. I February 2011 MQI Traiig i cojuctio with UCD ad our other traiig parters URRUS (Ballymu) ad A Cosa (Tallaght) received a STAR award from AONTAS ackowledgig our collaborative partership i promotig adult learig i drugs educatio ad research o a atiowide basis. What makes St. Fracis Farm uique is the fact that our programme is situated i a workig farm eviromet. Service users gai work experiece i aimal care, Represetatives from UCD, MQI, URRUS ad A Cosa receive STAR award 14 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

17 NEW DEVELOPMENTS Riverbak Cetre Work has at log last fially commeced o the redevelopmet of the Riverbak Cetre. The purpose desiged redevelopmet, whe completed, will provide a sigle site locatio for all our crisis orieted Dubli based services. This fatastic ew developmet could ot have bee realised without the support of the Fracisca Fraterity ad the may doors ad beefactors who support our work. The mai redevelopmet work o the Riverbak Cetre commeced i October 2011, with a aticipated completio date of July/August St Fracis Farm Detox Although Merchats Quay Irelad hoped to ope the facility i September 2011, the Detox uit opeed later tha expected, i November 2011, whe it bega processig referrals ad carryig out assessmets of prospective cliets. The ew 10 bed facility will offer a 30% icrease o atioal detox provisio. There were 21 referrals to the service i November ad December 2011, 14 of which atteded a assessmet. Cliets who were offered admissio to the uit i November ad December were to commece i Jauary The uit will iitially provide a methadoe detox ad plas to develop the service to also provide bezodiazepie detox ad alcohol detox Diig Room ad Carvig i New Riverbak Cetre, Merchats Quay Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

18 FINANCE Overview Despite aother difficult year fiacially, MQI ot oly maitaied all existig cliet services but also opeed up several ew services durig The highlights of the year are summarised below. MQI cotiued to maximise the resources spet o direct cliet services i 2011 with 0.87c i each Euro doated goig to cliet services. Icome ad Expediture for 2011 was 7.4m (compared with 6.9m i 2010) with MQI recordig a surplus of 27k (as compared to a 13k surplus i 2010). The mai additioal icome i 2011 related to FÁS, Pobal ad Doatios offset by reductios of betwee 2% ad 10% i state fudig lies. Due to a recofiguratio of Homeless Agecy fudig, the MQI Settlemet departmet closed i 2011 with workers i the Ope Access, residetial ad aftercare services takig o the case load. I lie with our Missio Statemet ad with a backdrop of reduced fudig, MQI started ew projects like the Tullow Detox Cetre ad secured fudig for the reovatio of the Riverbak Homeless cetre due to ope Autum Cost Savigs MQI cotiued to implemet cost savig measures o all expediture lies i order to maximise value for moey to cliets ad fuders. These measures icluded the followig areas: O-goig review of service cotracts with tederig actioed to achieve cost savigs. Desigig the ew Dubli Day Service to maximise staffig, eergy ad maiteace savigs. Icreasig the umbers of voluteers supportig the services. Decisios to cosolidate buildigs withi the Dubli ad Midlads locatios. Outlook for 2012 Further state fudig cuts coupled with icreased demad for our services will make 2012 aother challegig year. The success of our fudraisig strategy eabled the 2011 opeig of our ew Detox Cetre i Tullow to go ahead ad also has helped fud the o-goig buildig of our ew Riverbak Cetre for Dubli day services. MQI will place a sigificatly higher reliace o voluteers ad fudraisig i 2012 i order to support frot lie services. Goverace The Fiace ad Audit board sub committee met 3 times i 2011 i order to cotiue strog fiacial goverace withi MQI i lie with best practice. Our auditors PWC reported directly ito the Fiace ad Audit sub committee o the 2011 fiacial year i lie with fiacial best practice. MQI will cotiue to implemet best practice fiacial goverace takig ito accout recommedatios from Idustry, the statutory sector ad our auditors. Fudraisig The support of those who doate to MQI is vital i the cotiuity of services to the poorest ad most margialised i our society. I 2011 MQI received 903,874 (12.24% of ruig costs) from fudraisig. 16 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

19 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR MQI FOR THE YEAR ENDED DEC Total Total Differece Icome 6,914,399 7,387, ,029 Expediture -6,905,583-7,379, ,065 Surplus/(Deficit) for the year before iterest 8,816 7,780-1,036 Iterest received / Other fiace costs 4,064 18,909 14,845 Surplus/(Deficit) for the year 12,880 26,689 13,809 MERCHANTS QUAY PROJECT LTD BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER Fixed Assets Tagible Assets 71,005 89,203 Curret Assets Debtors 895, ,895 Cash at bak ad i had 234, ,685 1,129,868 1,553,580 Creditors: amouts fallig due withi oe year -1,031,293-1,417,081 Net Curret Assets 98, ,499 Total assets less curret liabilities 169, ,702 Creditors: amouts fallig due after more tha oe year -200, ,481 Net liabilities/(assets) excludig pesio liability -30,658 16,221 Net Pesio Liability -145, ,845 Net liability icludig pesio liability -176, ,624 Represeted by: accumulated deficit -176, ,624 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

20 FRANCISCAN SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES LIMITED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER Fixed Assets Tagible Assets 12,277 37,459 Curret Assets Debtors 2, Cash at bak ad i had 782, , , ,682 Creditors (amouts fallig due withi oe year) -745, ,790 Net Curret Assets 40,255 2,892 Total assets less curret liabilities 52,532 40,351 Deferred Grats (Capital Grats) 0-44,882 Total Net Assets / (liabilities) 52,532-4,531 Capital ad reserves Icome ad expediture accout 52,532-4,531 Total reserves 52,532-4,531 ST FRANCIS HOUSING ASSOCIATION LIMITED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER Curret Assets Cash at bak ad i had 298, ,536 0 Creditors (amouts fallig due withi oe year) -63,953 0 Total assets less curret liabilities 234,583 Creditors: amouts fallig due after more tha oe year -234,583 Total Net Assets / (liabilities) 0 Capital ad reserves Icome ad expediture accout - Represeted by Accumulated fuds - 18 Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review 2011

21 ackowledgemets Merchats Quay Irelad is so grateful for the fiacial support we receive from idividuals, families, religious orgaisatios, busiesses, charitable trusts ad foudatios. Without their steadfast support we would be uable to cotiue expadig our vital services to those i eed i Irelad. To all our supporters we wish to express our immese gratitude. We would like to ackowledge the followig grats received i 2011 JP McMaus Newma s Ow Foudatio Bo Secours ESB Electric Aid O Reilly Recyclig OFM Fracisca Fraterity We were gratefully supported by the followig: FÁS VEC MRDTF HSE Probatio Service Dubli City Coucil Irish Priso Service Departmet of Social Protectio Pobal SERDTF SICLDTF Ivestig i your future The Equality for Wome Measure is fuded by the Europea Social Fud (ESF) through the Huma Capital Ivestmet Operatioal Programme ad the Departmet of Justice ad Equality. Merchats Quay Irelad Aual Review

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24 Merchats Quay Irelad PO Box 11958, Dubli 8 Locatio: Merchats Quay Irelad, 28 Wietaver Street, Dubli 8 Direct Lie: ifo@mqi.ie Fax: Merchats Quay Irelad Detail from ew Riverbak Homeless Cetre carvig - made by Derek Williams with Cliets ad Voluteers ISSN No: