Pathways to Recovery

Jon RoyleCEO The Bridge Project

AimTo identify the barriers between the professional community and NA and develop strategies for closer integration and cooperation resulting in increased numbers of drug users utilising NA as a resource

• Kelly J. F. & Yeterian, J. (2008). Mutual-help groups. In W. O’Donohue & J. R. Cunningham (Eds.), Evidence-based adjunctive treatments (pp. 61-106). New York: Elsevier.

• White, W. (2009). Peer-based Addiction Recovery Support: History, Theory, Practice, and Scientific Evaluation. Chicago, IL: Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center and Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services.

• Toumbourou, J.W., Hamilton, M., U’Ren, A., Stevens-Jones, P., & Storey, G. (2002). Narcotics Anonymous participation and changes in substance use and social support. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 23, 61- 66.

Understanding the barriers

Recovery focus groups

Individual interviews

Literature review

Ethical

Ideological

Professional disempowerment

Themes

Ethical

‘I’m not referring vulnerable adults to an organisation that doesn’t run CRB checks on its members’

‘People who’ve gone to NA have been psychologically damaged’

Ideological

‘NA is a cult’

‘It’s a religious organisation’

‘Spirituality, 12 step programmes, what’s that, it sounds strange’

‘They’re not professional’

‘There is no liaison from NA’

‘Its difficult to accept their claims of success’

Professional Disempowerment

Positive comments

‘I’m in 12 step recovery – don’t tell my colleagues!’

‘I refer clients to NA’

‘I don’t know much about them – but I want to learn’

Resistance

Not referring clients to NA

Presenting ideological/professional arguments against NA e.g. Literature is Americanised

Discouraging/disparaging attendance

Removing literature

Formulation of attitudes

Few workers attended NA meeting

Negative client feedback loop

Pathways to Recovery

‘The 4 Step Programme’

Solution:

Step 1: Leadership

Steering Group

Recovery Champions

Step 2: Raise Awareness

Training

NA presentations

NA attendance for staff

Step 3: Build Links

In-house NA meetings

NA literature

Recovery cafe

Step 4: Evaluate

Baseline assessment staff attitudes

Repeat assessment post training

Number of referrals to NA

Growth in recovery communities

Conclusions

Talk about recovery

Staff are ready for change

Decide what you’re going to do about it