Charity helps drug users to quit

A WARRINGTON-based charity is helping drug users to move away from addiction and has helped cut drug-related crime in the town.
Warrington Pathways to Recovery programme, based in Bold Street, supports service users recover from dependency to drug addiction.
Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) arrived in Warrington three years ago and launched the service. It reports a decline in drug-related crime.
A spokesperson said: “Since the launch of our Pathways to Recovery service, two and a half times as many service users have achieved freedom from dependency.
“Their emphasis is on moving away from reliance on prescriptions to full recovery living a drug free life.”
The spokesperson said the organisation aims to build a relationship with service users and to improve their relationship with the community.
Since it formed the project has supported 837 people. In 2009/10, 79 per cent of service users left the project with a “planned” discharge – when the user leaves drug free or is referred to an alcohol treatment programme or the prison service.
The spokesperson said: “This can be compared to the 30 per cent discharge rate in 2007 before CRI commenced services. There has also been a decline in drug-related crime in Warrington.”
It is an open access service, so anyone can walk in off the street, and users receive an immediate assessment and subsequent recovery plan.
Pathways delivers localised services to support the individual’s substance dependency, physical and mental wellbeing, housing and education and training needs.
The spokesperson added: “This holistic and thorough approach goes some way to explain the project’s success as a top performing service nationally with one of the highest planned discharge rates.
“In addition, a third of key workers are previous users, and Pathways has its own peer-led recovery centre.”