Women’s addiction programme modelled by other Dublin projects

A FIRST of its kind crack cocaine programme for women in addiction is being modelled in other parts of Dublin due its success in CARP, Killinarden.

Community Addiction Response Programme (CARP) was established in response to drug issues in Kilinarden in 1995.

To this day, the community-focused addiction response programme uses evidence-based approaches to assist around 7,500 people in need of support for free each year.

The vision of the programme, which is based off Killinarden Heights, is to provide a safe space in which people of all backgrounds can find effective support, families can address substance misuse and young people can build resilience.

They recently received an €80,000 funding boost to continue providing the first women-focused crack cocaine programme in the country.

At present, there are 30 women on the books of the crack cocaine programme which has been running since 2017 and is being modelled in other parts of Dublin due its success.

A harm-reduction, needle-exchange service, methadone clinic, addiction counselling, family therapy and support, and youth services are also operated by CARP.

Since James Kelly became the manager of the programme in 2013, the team has also introduced a homeless drop-in service and Polish-speaking services on top of its crack cocaine programme.

While the success of CARP is evident in how it continues to provide services to its community in West Tallaght, issues around funding are not going away.

While they receive funding from the government, they also rely on the generosity of others to continue providing services.

“People that use the services in CARP are mothers, brothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunties, uncles,” James Kelly tells The Echo.

“These are people that you know. There is not a family that has not been affected by drugs in one way or another.

“By supporting CARP and donating, you are directly donating to your own community.

“We are reliant on funding from the HSÉ, TUSLA and the ETB and a few other bodies as well. We’ve had to deal with rising costs like any other addiction service.

“The energy costs are mental at the minute and I’ll give you an example, our insurance has gone from €5,000 up to €16,000.

“However, we’re not getting any increase in our funding, which we are reliant on.”

To support CARP over the Christmas period, visit HERE.