£1.8m for drug and alcohol support in York
City council awards contract to leading health and social care charity Change Grow Live to provide community-based treatment and interventions.
The charity Change Grow Live delivers more than 150 services across the UK, helping tens of thousands of people each day. Those services support individuals, families and communities who are adversely affected by crime, substance use, homelessness, anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, social deprivation and lack of opportunity.
Photo by Luke Porter
Now the charity has been engaged by City of York Council (CYC) to deliver an integrated alcohol and drug treatment and recovery service. This will focus on recovery and on recognising the role that trauma exposure can have on residents, enabling them to be free from drug and/or alcohol dependence. The five-year contract starts from this month.
This new service will support everyone – at any age – with dedicated support for adults, young people and children. York residents can access the treatment and support by contacting the service themselves or via a referral from a local health and care professional.
CYC is responsible for providing drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services through the Public Health Grant. Change Grow Live has been commissioned with a budget of £1.8m per year, which includes a contribution from the York and North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning (OPFCC).
As provider, Change Grow Lives is expected to work in partnership with CYC as commissioner and with other partners to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable individuals in the city.
The organisation has a good track record in this kind of work. Established in 1977 as Sussex Association for Rehabilitation of Offenders (SARO), it has operated under the name Change Grow Live since 2016, reflecting its focus on recovery while also reducing the stigma around those needing help.
This new contract comes within the wider context of the government’s Harm to Hope 10-year strategy, which aims to reduce overall drug use to a 30-year low. As part of this strategy, the government has provided a Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant to enhance core service provision – not included in the £1.8m per year for the Change Grow Live initiative.
Samantha Craggs, Director with Change Grow Live, says: ‘Change Grow Live is delighted to be awarded the contract to provide drug and alcohol treatment services in York. Working closely with the teams in York, Change Grow Live intend to build upon the great work that is already happening. We will focus on ensuring anyone in treatment, or looking to start treatment receives the highest standards of care whilst we work through the early stages of our contract mobilisation.
‘Alongside our main treatment offer Change Grow Live will provide specialist support to children and Young People (25 and under,) this service will be known as The Gate. We will also provide support for those concerned and feel that their alcohol use is becoming a problem through our offer: New You.
‘For York’s Day Rehab offer, ASPIRE, Change Grow Live will partner with Emerging Futures, lived experience experts who deliver a range of programmes facilitated by trained specialists, recovery coaches and volunteers across the country. Change Grow Live currently works in partnership with Emerging Futures across eleven services including Kirklees, Manchester and Lancashire, where it has seen positive outcomes.
‘Change Grow Live is looking forward to further developing relationships with people across the local communities in York. We are keen to see where we can add value and work in collaboration with others to promote long term recovery and improved wellbeing for all.’
Peter Roderick, Director of Public Health at City of York Council, adds: ‘We are delighted to award the new drug and alcohol service contract to Change Grow Live, who have a proven track record in this field in successfully supporting individuals, families and communities.
‘We’re committed to working so everyone can enjoy the strengths and successes of our city and be able to live happier and healthier lives. Our council plan priorities and 10-year Health and Well-being Strategy set out our vision and our priorities. Through these strategies we want to improve health for all in York – by coordinating and influencing long-term, complex health support.’
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