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People who experience drug dependence experience stigma, discrimination and the ongoing impacts of criminalisation. This leads to a wide range of social and health inequities and requires an integrated approach in providing appropriate health care. Demand reduction, to support people to recover from harmful substance use, is a core element of the national approach to harm minimisation. People who are seeking to successfully withdraw, recover and abstain from AOD dependence need holistic therapeutic support in order to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle that is substance-free.
Directions Health runs Arcadia House which is a 12-bed facility providing Withdrawal, Day and Residential rehabilitation programs. Over the last year, 38 clients accessed the service. Arcadia House is a Therapeutic Community utilising ‘Community as Method’ to support clients in the development of life skills and sustainable positive behaviour change as the foundation for their continued recovery. The program incorporates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) psychoeducational groups and peer support into the Therapeutic Community approach to provide comprehensive evidence-based treatment. CHN, ACT’s PHN, funds the Day Program which is designed for those unable to access residential treatment due to external responsibilities and for those not requiring the intensity of a residential program but needing more than tradition community-based treatment options.
ACT residents participating in the residential rehabilitation program step-down to the Day Program for the final stage of their treatment. This supports the transition back to community living and an opportunity to implement relapse prevention strategies prior to completion. Each client works collaboratively with their Case Manager, creating an individual treatment plan based on their goals and strategies to achieve them with discharge-planning incorporated throughout the treatment journey. Case Managers facilitate access to services to address complex needs, including mental and physical health services, legal, employment, housing, child protection and others. Clients are supported pre and post admission by the Arcadia Continuum of Care Team to ensure clients ongoing support no matter what their circumstances. Clients report consistently high satisfaction rates from services provided at Arcadia House, with 89% of Arcadia respondents indicating that all or most of their needs were met.
Client story
Divya* (not her real name) lives with her partner and child. She had taken leave from her full-time job prior to contacting Directions Health due to her alcohol dependence. Divya had self-referred to Directions to seek support regarding her alcohol use and mental health, as well as feelings of suicidal ideation associated with her return to drinking. She reported recent diagnosis of liver cirrhosis, major dental issues and mental health diagnoses of anxiety, depression, with symptoms of complex PTSD due to a history of trauma. She also reported family and domestic violence (FDV) in her previous relationship.
Divya reported numerous previous withdrawal attempts with varying levels of success, including residential withdrawal support service and multiple admissions to the Canberra Hospital withdrawal unit. Divya was admitted to Arcadia House residential program after completing 7 days in withdrawal unit at the Canberra Hospital. Divya completed the first 8 weeks of her program in residential, then successfully self-advocated to complete the second half of her treatment as Day Program, due to financial strain and wanting to return to her family.
Divya’s attendance over the second 8 weeks was exemplary and she graduated from the Arcadia House Day Program. She created an Individual Treatment Plan, in collaboration with her Case Manager, which focused on her treatment issues such as emotional regulation, relapse prevention and addressing her previous FDV experience.Divya was referred to a FDV service and commenced specialist FDV counselling prior to graduation to ensure a warm referral and reduce the risk of relapse by addressing her trauma. Her anxiety was treated with an integrated approach through therapeutic strategies at Arcadia House and medications prescribed by her GP. At Arcadia she learnt mindfulness and grounding techniques as other strategies to address her anxiety. Arcadia worked collaboratively with Divya’s medical care team to have major dental work completed, to complete tests to ascertain her liver functionality and to obtain a Mental health care plan as part of her exit plan.
Divya’s physical health and quality of life scores improved markedly. She was able to seek support on healing her relationship with her child and her overall family dynamic. She engaged with Continuum of Care team post-graduation and is a member of Arcadia’s graduates’ group and continues to attend SMART Recovery groups at Directions Health.
