New community hubs for drug and alcohol addiction to be set up in Cork

FIVE new community-based hubs for drug and alcohol addiction treatment will be created in Cork in the coming months.

The hubs are being developed by Coolmine addiction services in conjunction with the Cork Local Drug and Alcohol Taskforce and the Southern Regional Drug and Alcohol Taskforce.

According to Coolmine, there will be hubs in east, north and west Cork, as well as two in Cork city, and one in Kerry.

Project workers are now being hired for the hubs, which will provide services for clients, their families and their partners.

Among the services will be group therapy, and psycho-social workshops.

The project workers will have a number of roles, including reaching out to difficult to access groups, including the homeless and members of the Travelling community.

Chief executive of Coolmine, Pauline McKeown, said: “During Q3 2021 we shall progress with the delivery of residential beds for women and children. In Cork and Kerry we are progressing with the setting up of an additional five hubs across the region that shall provide drug and alcohol support services to individuals and families impacted by problem substance use.”

Last week, The Echo revealed that a €1 million stepping stone drug and alcohol stabilisation service for the south of the country will be opened in Cork in the autumn.

That project will be for chaotic addicts who need immediate help ahead of accessing residential treatment. The service will focus on addiction as well as mental health issues of addicts.

It will be the first such centre outside of Dublin and is being planned by the HSE. The service will be available to addicts in the south, southeast and midwest of the country. A location for the centre has been selected but is not currently being revealed.

The staff will include nurses, occupational therapists and addiction counsellors. The facility will cater for males and females on a short-stay basis.