I agree with Jane and would want to emphasise that one of the difficulties methadone maintained clients have is that they will most likely find it hard to find models of methadone-supported recovering people, not necessarily because they don't exist, but because the stigma and discrimination makes it harder to stand up and be counted, unlike members of NA for instance or alumni of TCs.
If, in the development of services bridging the huge gulf between prescribing services and 'rehab', people on OST are employed and supported and seen as legitimate professional drug/alcohol workers, this may help to reduce stigma and provide more visibility.
Tim
Sent from my iPad
On 14 Jul 2011, at 14:25, "Jane Mcgregor" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi
>
> Just wading into the discussion here on workers on OST and throwing around some random thoughts...
>
> The issue, though not a new one, represents the tension between 2 overlapping treatment paradigms. It strikes me that with regards to employing workers on OST, the idea is equally compatible with the former harm reduction model of intervention and the 'new' recovery agenda. Employing workers on OST and still in recovery could be viewed as helping to change the individual's self-perception and identity - something MacIntosh and McKeganey discuss,* and may help ‘repair’ the user’s identity, a factor thought to be important to sustained recovery. It is also compatible with concept of mutual aid. However agree there are ethical issues to unpack and work through. It would be really interesting to see how the issue is played out in the treatment arena and how a paper was responded to by the sector.
>
> *McIntosh, J. & McKeganey, N. (2002) Beating the dragon: the recovery from dependent drug use. Prentice Hall: Harlow, Essex.
>
> Jane
>
> Dr Jane McGregor
> Duncan Macmillan House,
> Porchester Rd, Mapperley NG3 6HA
> University of Nottingham
> [log in to unmask]
> ________________________________________
> From: Addiction Course Convenors [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask] [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 14 July 2011 13:25
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Treatment Programmes with workers on Methodone Maintenance
>
> Thanks Andy & Tim,
>
> I do think this is an important issue and would benefit from airing in some way. Maybe the DDN would be an appropriate place to do this. However maybe if we could pull together the experiences of all course leaders on this issue we would have the makings of an article for an academic journal as well.
>
> It strikes me so far that there is an interesting ethical discussion here about substance misuse treatment and discrimination... our approach is very clear OST is a recognised treatment for a health condition and as such we would not discriminate against individuals seeking to study with us. The issue would be handled by our student services occupational health team in terms of supporting the student in their studies. That being said if we cannot support the student in acquiring a placement then the course becomes effectively blocked to them.
>
> It sounds like colleagues have found ways around this, it would be good to get a wider sense on how this is achieved and indeed the extent to which this is an issue arising for HE (and FE) courses in the Substance Misuse sector.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Dr. Daren D Britt
> (01273) 643548
> Senior Lecturer in Substance Misuse
> School of Applied Social Science
> University of Brighton
> Falmer
> Brighton. BN1 9PH
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Addiction Course Convenors [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andy Ashenhurst
> Sent: 14 July 2011 12:51
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Treatment Programmes with workers on Methodone Maintenance
>
> Hi all, I do teaching sessions on a programme with drug and alcohol content at an FE college where all students are ex users with some are on OST.
> Maybe this issue could usefully be aired in DDN, to see how others address it, or not!
>
> regards Andy
>
> Andy Ashenhurst,
> Lecrurer, Psychology of Dependence
> Centre for Health Service Studies
> Darwin College
> University of Kent
> Canterbury
> CT2 2NY
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Addiction Course Convenors [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Leighton [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 14 July 2011 11:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Treatment Programmes with workers on Methodone Maintenance
>
> Hi Daren
>
> This is a really important question for us as well. I have placed a student who is on a low dose with a drug/alcohol counselling and advice service in a large town, but many agencies running abstinence programmes responded to a questionnaire I circulated by saying that their current position was that they would not accept someone on OST into a counselling training placement. Reasons given included 'it doesn't accord with our philosophy', it would confuse the clients' etc. Some said they would be willing to review their position; very few had written policies or had discussed the issue at executive level.
>
> I too would be interested to pool experiences and perhaps formulate some AHEAD guidance or recommendations in due course.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Tim
>
> Tim Leighton,
> Director, Centre for Addiction Treatment Studies
> 01985 843784 (Direct Line with Voicemail)
> 01985 843782/84783 (Dept. Administration)
>
> From: Addiction Course Convenors [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
> Sent: 14 July 2011 09:44
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Treatment Programmes with workers on Methodone Maintenance
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> Just a quick question. Does anyone know of treatment/'recovery' programmes in the UK that are prepared to utilise practitioners that are methadone maintained? We have received applications to our course from applicants who are on long term methadone maintenance; however identifying work placement opportunities for them is a problem. I would really like to explore this issue with programmes that have experience of working with methadone maintained individuals.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Dr. Daren D Britt
> (01273) 643548
> Senior Lecturer in Substance Misuse
> School of Applied Social Science
> University of Brighton
> Falmer
> Brighton. BN1 9PH
>
>
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