Two Humankind services, Calderdale Recovery Steps and Staffordshire Integrated Co-occurring Needs (ICoN) have been featured in the first annual national drug strategy report for their innovative approaches to supporting people with a drug related support need.
The annual report is the first collection of evidence and case studies published relating to progress towards achieving the aims outlined in the Government’s 10-year drug strategy, ‘From harm to hope’.
Calderdale’s approach to drug-related offending
Calderdale Recovery Steps, a CQC-rated ‘Outstanding’ service which supports people who have issues with drugs and alcohol in the West Yorkshire borough, has been recognised for its innovative approach to supporting people arrested for drug-related offences.
Since September 2022, the Calderdale community has benefited from ‘Fine Line’. The programme offers a bespoke support pathway for people arrested for offences related to cocaine. Anyone who has a positive test is directed to a required assessment with Calderdale Recovery Steps. The support service then determines the most appropriate support for that person, including flexible group sessions and individual check-ups with professional staff facilitated jointly by Humankind and our partners at The Basement Project.
79% of people eligible to access support from the programme did so, with over three quarters of those not re-offending over an average period of six months.
ICoN
Funded by Staffordshire County Council and the NHS, Staffordshire ICoN, a partnership between Humankind and Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) has also been spotlighted. The new initiative supports people in the county with both mental health and drug and alcohol issues.
Dame Carol Black recently attended an event to mark the launch of ICoN, commenting on her hope that “other areas will now find out more about ICoN and think about how they could borrow it, follow it or perhaps adjust it to best meet the needs of their local communities and the people who need their support.”
The power of partnerships
Both innovations highlight the significance of collaboration across criminal justice, health, and community organisations. The government’s drug strategy guidance for local delivery partners on participating in Combating Drugs Partnerships underscores the importance of this collaborative approach. Humankind is proud to identify ‘partnerships’ as one of the three key themes in our strategy Being Human. We are proud to see these innovations helping to build healthier and happier communities in the places we work.
