Tabor Group is a major provider of residential and community based addiction treatments in Ireland. The model employed is the Minnesota Model also known as the Abstinence Model. The group is comprised of Tabor Lodge (Primary Treatment Centre), Fellowship House (Secondary Treatment Centre for males), Renewal (Secondary Treatment Centre for females) and extended supported accommodation in the community for both males and females. The Group provides a range of treatments, care, support and rehabilitation for those in treatment as well as structured support for their families. In 2017, Tabor Lodge admitted 213 clients to its residential treatment programme while also providing support to family members.

Tabor Group, in partnership with the HSE, commissioned this external evaluation with declared terms of reference and objectives as follows:
▪To assess the effects of Tabor treatment programmes(s) across Tabor Group.
▪To offer independent examination of the efficacy of the programme(s) as well as the ‘goodness of fit’ of the treatment model.

The genesis of the evaluation also stems from the Group’s Strategic Plan, which calls for an exploration of “the options to have greater flexibility in the duration of the primary residential treatment programme”. Tabor Group is to be commended for opening its service to external scrutiny and evaluation and is reflective of an organisation focused on quality assured services.

The methodology employed in this report was designed to elicit the views of a wide range of staff, clients and external stakeholders. It was inclusive in nature. Because of the varying backgrounds of the respondents there are differing, sometimes contradictory, views expressed. This is not unusual in evaluation reports of this nature. Clients spoke of both positive and negative experiences while in treatment. For the most part clients expressed satisfaction with their engagement with the services.