Coolmine 2013
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Addiction Treatment Services 40 Years Helping People Overcome Addiction Annual Report 2013 Contents Vision Values Coolmine Therapeutic Dignity & Respect Chairman’s Introduction 1 Community believes that everyone should We ensure the dignity and respect of individuals Chief Executive’s report Looking back at 2013 2 have the opportunity by actively listening and holding a non-judgmental to overcome addiction attitude which is supported by our service standards Coolmine’s Journey 1973 - 2013 4 and lead a fulfilled and Compassion Ashleigh House Feature 6 productive life We believe that compassion is demonstrated through About Coolmine Therapeutic Community ‘What we do’ 8 responsible love, concern and understanding for each other Summarised Statistics 12 Mission Honesty, Consistency and Responsibility Governance 14 Coolmine Therapeutic This value lies at the core of what we believe and is Partnerships, Funders and Supporters 16 Community provides demonstrated by accountability and transparency a range of quality in all areas of our organisation Financial Review 17 community and residential services Safety & Security My Life is a song 20 to empower people We believe in the physical and psychological safety and to end their security for all, through the implementation dependence on drugs of sound policy and procedure and alcohol Commitment to Quality We are committed to quality through evidence based Coolmine has given me the kit of spiritual practice, research and continuous improvement of our standards and resources tools and belief to live life and not fear tasks or things in life. I am a father of two boys now; they are my life along with my recovery today. I firmly believe that without this help from Coolmine, I would not be in a position to even send this email. I owe my life to them; I don't think that I can ever repay them for they have done for me. I will start by sending this email. Yours sincerely, Keith Chairman’s Introduction 2013 It is a pleasure for I would like to thank two of our directors who me to present this retired during the year, Catherine Bent and Annual Report Hilda Loughran In turn, to all the members of on this, the 40th the board who give of their time so generously Anniversary of the for no financial reward, I would like to extend founding of Coolmine my personal gratitude CHANGE Therapeutic Community Finally, I am pleased to introduce, our new Chief Mother & Child executive, Pauline McKeown’s first report and to (Coolmine) HOMELESS record my final one as Chairman as I have now Coolmine is now completed my second three year term Crèche an important organisation in the context Outreach Alcohol of Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy, and Drugs it provides a wide range of services from hope detoxification through to rehabilitation and Recovery through Nature aftercare Residential and day programmes are offered Coolmine offers the only mother Skills recovery and child residential rehabilitation service Life in the country You will read more of recent developments in the Chief Executive’s report Through its strategic vision and mission and its’ ContinuumVolunteers of Care highly trained staff Coolmine is committed to Brian Ward abstinence as its treatment goal Chairman residential Detox Coolmine has committed itself to work actively with other voluntary drug services, agencies and organisations throughout the StabilisationDepression country Such alliances are a core element of its Family Support Family help Strategic Plan 2012-2015: “From Dependence to health day programme Independence” Funding continues to be a challenge The Friends of Coolmine was established earlier this Education year to coincide with the 40th Anniversary I urge all associated with Coolmine to become Aftercare “Friends” – a small monthly donation will make a huge difference to the longer term future of future our services We understand that these are life long Support difficult times for all, but your help to Coolmine will be vital to ensuring its future Therapeutic Community Helping People Overcome Addiction 1 During 2013 Coolmine developed further As with all voluntary organisations, Coolmine Chief Executives Report the use of horticulture as a therapeutic has had to live with annual reductions intervention in service This provided clients averaging 3% in core funding since 2008 The with the opportunity to experience growing, management and staff have played their part Looking back on 2013 harvesting and cooking vegetable and fruit to ensure that the cuts did not impinge on core produce within the communities 2013 also services for clients The team is very grateful to saw the commencement of more general the Government Departments, state agencies, 2013 celebrated worrying trend of inadequate long term safe conservation works within our communities local authorities and grant providers who have Coolmine accommodation for families to progress to to be developed into specific return to nature supported us during 2013 We also say a special Therapeutic post primary treatment increased significantly projects during 2014 We increased our thank you to our Friends of Coolmine donors Community’s fortieth This is a cause of great concern for Coolmine Community employment scheme placements for their generosity in helping us to year of providing into the future given the current Irish from fourteen to twenty four, supported by provide service treatment and housing crisis the Department of Social Protection, thus rehabilitation services providing more clients with employment/ During 2013 the commitment, hard work and in Ireland 2013 also The principal activity of Coolmine is to support training and a bridge to mainstream education flexibility of Coolmine staff and volunteers marked a year of people to end their dependence on drugs and and employment opportunities enabled us to meet the demand for our increased demand for alcohol to lead a fulfilled and productive life services I would like to take this opportunity our services Responding to this, during 2013 We reinforced this mission by our continued Coolmine celebrated our fortieth year through to thank them all personally for their dedication Coolmine Lodge, the male residential service, commitment to providing best practice a series of events including a commemorative and commitment I want to acknowledge our increased occupancy to an average of 28 men, and quality treatment and rehabilitation ceremony with our special guest President clients during 2013 Listening to our clients up 27% from an average of 22 men in 2012 interventions to our clients During 2013 the Michael Higgins, CTC founders, past voice enables us to maintain a truly client Ashleigh House, the female residential service, organisation continued to focus on evidence associates, funders, staff, supporters and centred approach and ensures that was able to cater for an average of 18 women, based treatments that enhance the therapeutic graduates Other special events included, a we continue to evolve and remain responsive a 50% increase from an average of 12 women community model As such, Coolmine staff Coolmine graduate gathering, open days, to their presenting needs whatever the in 2012 This increase was coupled with an completed training in Mindfulness based graduation ceremonies and a Gala concert in challenge is increase in the number of women residing in relapse prevention, Mindfulness integrated partnership with the Dublin Male Voice Choir Coolmine with their babies and young children cognitive behavioural therapy, ‘Parenting and Blanchardstown Brass Band Our challenge into the future is to ensure This is set against a background of continued under Pressure’ programme, in addition to that Government, corporate and individual funding constraints during 2013 core competency based and skill development During 2013, we reinforced Coolmine’s stakeholders understand the value provided by training It is through this commitment to commitment to formal research by presenting Coolmine in terms of client recovery I am delighted to report that during 2013 knowledge transfer, skills development and preliminary findings of our longitudinal Investing in Coolmine is a commitment to we significantly developed our ‘Mother and maintenance of evidence based treatments outcomes study at the European Federation of resolving the problem Child’ residential service at Ashleigh House coupled with the increase in front line staff Therapeutic Communities conference (EFTC), As a result, we were able to support over that we evidenced an average increase of September 2013 During the conference, forty women and sixteen mother and child 9% in client retention in their rehabilitation CTC bid for and have been awarded both the admissions including three maternity transfers programme during 2013 European Working Group on Drugs Oriented This represents an 18% increase on the Research symposium (EWODOR) in May 2014 previous year’s admissions However, over 63% We are acutely aware of the need to engage and the EFTC conference in 2017 of the mothers, which represents 24 children, clients in career guidance, education and accessing service at Coolmine Ashleigh House new meaningful activities to ensure they can Pauline McKeown were homeless During 2013 the emergent and contribute positively to society 2 3 Coolmine’s Journey 1973 - 2013 After many months “of emotional roller- 1973 coasting I began to Coolmine TC see many changes opened its doors to 2008 in myself and felt its first residents in A major milestone 2010 I was heading in April in Coolmine for Coolmine