Chairman’s Foreword

In 2020, Covid-19 significantly affected all our lives and impacted on how the Coolmine organisation operated and delivered services.

Our staff have been exceptional. Staff willingly took on new challenges including internal redeployment and new rosters, and adapted to new digital and online ways of working as we navigated the impact, threat and the reality of Covid-19. During the year we supported and adapted our residential treatment services, maintaining high levels of occupancy and we expanded and adapted our community, day and residential services to reflect the new normal and to better meet the national demand for high quality drug and alcohol support services. Even during Covid-19, growing drug use patterns are being experienced across Ireland. Client outcomes provide evidence that people can and do recover and go on to live fulfilled and productive lives.

Coolmine is playing a key role in delivering Ireland’s national policy Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery: a Health-Led Approach to Drug and Alcohol Use in Ireland 2017 – 2025, most particularly in strengthening services to support families affected by substance misuse, helping individuals affected by substance misuse to build their recovery capital and increasing residential services for women, pregnant women, and postnatal women.

Coolmine works with people who are vulnerable and marginalised with lived experience of trauma. Mental health issues, homelessness and physical health issues are dominant. We see a prevalence of second and sometimes third generation families with addiction problems. Our work provides us with the opportunity to break that generational cycle of addiction, especially through working with the whole family community – mothers, fathers, and their children.

Coolmine’s Vision is clear. We believe that abstinence is not enough. Coolmine’s Board members, management and staff are committed to a vision of recovery where everyone has the opportunity to overcome addiction and live a fulfilled and productive life. In practical terms this means not only creating pathways to high quality treatment but also in developing recovery capital for our clients and their families which enable effective reintegration into their community. Our services are targeted at improvements in physical and psychological health and well-being, re-engagement with family, developing positive peer relationships, supporting access to housing, gaining employment and accessing training and development. We are focused on delivering quality outcomes which address the whole life needs of the individual.