© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011

Joint Committee on Health and Children

A Submission From

Homeless & Drugs Service

15th September 2011

www.mqi.ie

© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011

MERCHANTS QUAY IRELAND

Merchants Quay Ireland is a voluntary organisation working towards the elimination of homelessness and the development of effective treatment and support services for drug users.

The services we currently offer include: • Crisis contact centre/health promotion unit• National Addiction Counselling Service for the Irish Prison Service• Structured day programmes• Methadone treatment• 3 month residential drug treatment programme (incl. assisted detox)• 3 month farm based residential therapeutic community• Reintegration and employment programme• Training and research services• Food centre offering two meals per day and washing and shower facilities• Primary Health Care services: GPs, Nurses, Dentist, Counsellors,

Podiatrist.• Settlement Service• Transitional Housing Projects

In 2010, we worked with over 5,000 drug users and people who were homeless.

© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011

EXTENT OF THE DRUG PROBLEM IN IRELAND

• Current prevalence:

Estimated levels of between 18,136 and 23,576 drug users nationally (Kelly et al 2009)

• Drug Use outside of Dublin:

Health Research Board study estimated that drug use outside of Dublin had quadrupled over a 4 year period (H.R.B. 2004)

TREATMENT UPTAKE

• Currently nearly 10,000 people on Methadone treatment nationally (HSE 2010)

• Increase from 1861 people in 1996 to nearly 10,000 people in 2010 (C.T.L. 2010)

© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011

© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011

TREATMENT WORKS

ROSIE Study In Ireland (2006) demonstrated:

• Improved physical and mental health

• Increased social functioning

• Reduction in illicit drug use

• Reduction in criminal and anti-social behaviour

Garda Research Unit (2003) demonstrated

• Significant decrease in criminal activity associated with treatment engagement

N.T.O.R.S: British Home Office Study (2001) demonstrated

• 50% reduction in criminal activity

• Greatest reduction among most active offenders

• Estimated £1 spent on treatment yielded £3 savings for the criminal justice system

• Increased to £9 saving when health and social welfare costs included

CURRENT GAPS / OUTSTANDING ISSUES

• Needle Exchange Services: lack of access, particularly at regional level

• Waiting lists: Access to treatment extremely patchy – with waiting

times of over 1 year in some areas

• Detoxification: Less than 50 dedicated inpatient beds for estimated

20,000 drug users

© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011

CURRENT GAPS / OUTSTANDING ISSUES (cont.)

• Rehabilitation: lack of access to day and residential services

• Rehabilitation of Offender Act:Mechanism for expunging criminal convictions

• Other Drug Use: Problematic use of prescription medications Poly drug use

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Needle exchange services should be expanded to cover all areas affected by problem drug use.

• Waiting lists for access to drug treatment should be reduced to bring waiting time down to a maximum of four weeks.

• An immediate increase in the number of dedicated detoxification beds available to those seeking to become drug free.

• An increase in the number and geographical spread of dedicated detoxification beds.

• An immediate increase in the number of dedicated rehabilitation places

• Develop a Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

• Develop measures to ensure increased awareness of problematic use of prescription drugs and poly-drug use.

© Merchants Quay Ireland 2011