Mutual Aid, what it is and how it works Cambourne, Cambridge, 20th July, 2010 Recovery &...

Mutual Aid, what it is and how it works

Cambourne, Cambridge, 20th July, 2010

Recovery & Reintegration Conference. 20.07.2010

Overview

• Where are we now?

• What do we want?

• How do we get it?

• What’s our part in that?

• What is Mutual Aid, and how does it work


“My bottom line is, are the services we commission & provide good enough for me? Would we use them? Are they good enough for my kids? If they’re not, they’re not good enough for anybody.”


Mark Gilman (NTA, North West)

Where are we now?• Harm Reduction Agenda• Focus on counting - not Accounting• Clinical trials, in clinical settings - randomised controlled• Performance outcomes based on people retained in

treatment + waiting times

• When asked 80% want abstinence

• Approximately 80% in treatment on Methadone (a procedure, not a treatment)

• 50%+ top up their scripts, and most are not happy where they are

• Most current treatment focussed on the problem - not the solution

• System seems almost deliberately obstructive to the process of change


Where are we now?• Most drug users - in or out of services - have never

met anyone who used like they did and is now drug free

• Also true of many who work in the services

• Little or no understanding of peer led recovery

• Suspicion about Mutual Aid and “Fellowships”


“We cannot change the nature of the addict or addiction.

We can help to change the old lie “Once an addict, always an addict”, by striving to make recovery more available”


NA Basic Text, Sixth Ed. 2008

What do we want?• Recovery & Reintegration

• Acceptance of new ways to measure success

• Get people off the drugs that are causing them problems, out of treatment, and back into society

• People can find acceptable Recovery models in their own communities

• Recovery Oriented Integrated Systems


How do we get it?• Set our sights higher• Re assess what we mean by a successful outcome

• Look for different ways to measure this• ASK THE EXPERTS!• In many ways, Recovery begins when treatment ends

• A process, not an event - a bridge to normal living• More indigenous residential rehabs

• Huge improvement in outcomes, especially when connected to Mutual aid groups

• Create, develop and support local communities of recovering people

• Community based Mutual Aid Recovery


What’s our part in that?

• Attend a local (open) Mutual Aid meetings and satisfy yourself that this works

• Invite them to your services to speak to staff and clients

• Host their meetings on your premises

• Find creative ways to “front load” Community based Peer Support into treatment


• 3,000+ Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings• 800+ Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings• 250+Cocaine Anonymous (CA) meetings• 60+ Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) meetings• Intuitive Recovery

What is Mutual Aid?

• Self referred Peer led support for those who want it• People who are there, being helped by people who’ve been

there• Community based, with local meetings for local people• Focus on individuals experience• Free at point of use• Non restrictive, in terms of age, race, belief system, class etc.• Supports people with drug problems into, throughout, and

beyond treatment• A place for people who feel they have nowhere else to goß


How does it work?

• Through power of identification• Experience based model• Learn from those who came before• Simple self disclosure to a group or chosen individual• Some, though not all require an acceptance of a Higher Power


Contact details

• Narcotics Anonymous: www.ukna.org Email: [email protected]

Helpline: 0300 999 1212• Alcoholics Anonymous: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Helpline: 0845 769 7555• SMART Recovery: www.smartrecovery.org.uk

Email: [email protected] Tel: 0845 603 9830• Intuitive Recovery: www.intuitiverecovery.com Tel: 0161 223

1094


Simon Jenkins Email: [email protected] Tel:

07956153420

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Mutual Aid, what it is and how it works Cambourne, Cambridge, 20th July, 2010 Recovery &...

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