On 12 November 2018, the Department of Health’s Drugs Policy Unit and the Health Research Board (HRB) hosted the first annual National Drugs Forum in the Aviva Stadium. The theme for the forum was Working better together by developing communities of practice. This event aimed to strengthen the capacity of existing communities of practice and to provide examples for collaborative working across the statutory, community, and voluntary sectors.

There were four workshops:   

• Supporting prevention work in the community.
• Dual diagnosis: using partnership and peer support as resources in treatment.
• The role of social reintegration in recovery.
• Harm reduction services: engaging with people who use drugs

Dual diagnosis: using partnership and peer support as resources in treatment.

1: Dual Diagnosis – A community-led response.

• Jennifer Clancy, Clondalkin Drug & Alcohol Task Force

2: The establishment of a “Seeking Safety” Group in the National Drug Treatment Centre for supporting patients with opiate dependence, polysubstance use/dependence and a history of suffering with past traumas.

• Dr Siobhan Rooney & Ruth Anne Buckley, Health Service Executive

3: Addressing dual diagnosis within a residential treatment programme serving women with complex needs.

• Eva Devaney & Anita Harris, Coolmine Therapeutic Community

4: Dual diagnosis: using partnership and peer support as resources in treatment.

• Peter Sherry & Ruth Anne Buckley, Health Service Executive

To see all the forum presentations click on this link