Substance misuse treatment contract awarded to national charity

A new contract for providing substance misuse treatment services in Blackburn with Darwen has been awarded to national charity CRI.

As of April 2015, the leading drug and alcohol charity will work in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council to deliver recovery services and easy access support to young people and adults across the borough.

Following a competitive tendering process, the new partnership will build on the achievements of existing providers in the borough over the past few years by bringing a range of new and innovative services together into one integrated structure overseen by CRI.

The new structure will provide clear and easily accessible support for people seeking support and treatment for a range of addiction issues, whilst building on the area’s outcome performance. This will include more accessible community-based services and specialist treatment and targeted recovery support tailored to individual needs as well as open access to advice and information, education, volunteering and employment opportunities.

CRI is a social care and health charity working with individuals, families and communities across England and Wales affected by drugs, alcohol, crime, homelessness, domestic abuse and antisocial behaviour. CRI projects, delivered in regional communities and prisons, encourage and empower people to regain control of their lives and motivate them to tackle their problems.

CRI already runs services across Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley. Over the past five years, ‘Inspire’, a fully integrated substance misuse service offering rapid and open access to assessment and treatment, has supported people across East Lancashire experiencing problems with drugs and/or alcohol, promoting recovery from addiction and dependence. CRI also currently provides both community and prison based drug and alcohol services in North Lancashire.

CRI have agreed as part of the service redesign, to subcontract services from the existing local voluntary sector and this will include involvement from organisations such as THOMAS and the CVS Fast4wd Project, as well as GPs, pharmacists and an organisation called ‘Work Solutions’.

The tendering process and re-design of the service follows the expiration of inherited contracts for Blackburn with Darwen Council following Public Health responsibility moving from NHS to local authorities in April 2013

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said:

I’m delighted to be able to announce the partnership with CRI who have been providing substance misuse treatment and recovery services for both young people and adults for 20 years.

The substance misuse service has been re-designed with service users, families and carers at the core and the new contract will be focussed on addressing the root causes of drug and alcohol addiction and risk taking behaviours and achieving better outcomes for all whilst ensuring improved health and wellbeing.

“We are really excited about all the opportunities this brings going forward and are looking forward to building on what has already been achieved so positively in Blackburn with Darwen whilst forging these new relationships.

Sue Shaw, CRI North West Regional Director, said:

We are privileged to be able to provide prevention treatment and recovery services in the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen and we are excited about the opportunity to deliver this innovative model commissioned by the Council to build on the excellent performance already achieved by existing providers.

For more information visit: www.cri.org.uk/blackburn-darwen