Treatment Services

Clondalkin Addiction Support Programme (CASP) is a service for individuals who use substances over the age of 18 and their family members. It is a service where people can avail of both medical and holistic treatments. CASP was established in 1995 by community members, and workers in local, voluntary and youth organisations as a response to the growing numbers of younger heroin users in the Clondalkin area. CASP provides an integrated, community-based substance treatment service focusing on the physical, psychological social and spiritual needs of the people that use substances and their families.

Clondalkin Tús Nua is a community-based substance intervention service located in Bawnogue. It was developed in 1997 by a group of concerned parents as a community-based response to the drug problem in southwest Clondalkin. They offer a range of services to meet the needs of problematic substance users and those effected by a loved one’s substance use such as parents, partners, and siblings. All service-user’s needs are identified through a comprehensive assessment. A treatment plan is then developed to support them.  A new initiative that has been undertaken by CTN is the Recovery Roaders Cycling Club which combines many of the dimensions of recovery to provide an additional innovative option for service users.

Station 1 Rehabilitation Programme is a day programme tailored to meet the needs of individuals in recovery. In 2006 Clondalkin Tus Nua highlighted the lack of locally based community employment places for people in early recovery. The aim is to provide a therapeutic setting to focus on returning to work and gaining social and economic independence while providing therapeutic support to maintain their recovery needs. The programme operates a morning and afternoon programme. It offers educational, holistic and therapeutic interventions to participants.

Clondalkin YDAP is a Drug and Alcohol service that supports young people from 12-21 years old who are experiencing issues in relation to substance misuse. Support is also offered to parents and families to provide them with coping skills and enable them to help the young person with their treatment pathway. The aim of this service is to ensure appropriate services and treatments are provided to young people in the area, reduce harm and to develop their own capacity. This includes empowering them to solve their own difficulties. They work alongside other agencies to ensure best possible outcomes for young people attending their service.

Clondalkin Travellers Development Group (CTDG) was established in 1989 to address the needs of Travellers in the Clondalkin area. CTDG is a partnership between Travellers and non-Travellers working to promote the rights of Travellers as a nomadic ethnic group within Irish society. Clondalkin has a large population of Travellers. Travellers in Clondalkin face similar issues as those experienced at national level. Since 1989, CTDG have spent significant time developing a model of community work, which meets the needs of Travellers and responds to issues as identified by Travellers. CTDG works from a community development model of community work. It is a mechanism through which Travellers can collectively address the issues that are affecting their community. It is a rights-based approach which values the distinct, social, cultural, and economic needs of Travellers as a nomadic ethnic group in Ireland.

Nicholas Jose Diez McKenna works with Clondalkin DATF as the Service User Representative. His role ranges from advocating and support for service users as well as responding to the needs of the community as he describes below.

“As well as representing and sharing the voice of service users in the task force, I also provide support should service users have any questions, queries or would like to discuss their experiences in context with substance use and accessing services. I provide an advocacy service for service users who would like to provide feedback or would like me to advocate on their behalf to submit a complaint to a service.
I also provide Naloxone and overdose response training for the community. Ali, the T&R officer and I are developing a community Naloxone project to ensure that everyone in the community can receive training and to ensure that those at risk of an opioid overdose can access Naloxone.
I also produce the ‘Clondalkin Recovery’ newsletter which promotes recovery, provides a platform for services and service users to highlight issues and share their voice. The newsletter increases community awareness around recovery and substance use. We also feature a public health article in each edition to raise awareness on emerging issues.