Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and The National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan TD, yesterday joined the Board and Management of Tabor Group to launch their new Treatment Service Handbook. Tabor Group’s Treatment Service Handbook sets out the organisation’s mission, vision, and values, as well as its aims and objectives in service delivery for clients attending their residential addiction treatment programmes. This is a key document for the organisation, providing guidance on clinical standards they aspire to achieve. In addition to this, it provides a guide for service evaluation and monitoring service development and quality improvement initiatives. Speaking about the launch of the Treatment Service Handbook, Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and The National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan TD said: “I am delighted to be here today to launch Tabor Group’s Treatment Service Handbook. Tabor Group have a long history of providing addiction treatment services in Ireland. ’ He added ‘ I  welcome the commitment in the Tabor Group’s vision statement to work in collaboration with other agencies and in partnership with clients in addressing complex needs. I also welcome the emphasis in section 7 of the Manual on implementing HSE National Protocols for Drug and Alcohol Services. This approach is in line with the national drugs strategy.’ The ‘Treatment Service Manual’ presents detailed methodologies for service delivery across the organisation and outlines it processes for:

• Counselling approaches used at Tabor Group
• The implementation of HSE National Protocols for Drug and Alcohol Services at Tabor Group
• The role of key counsellors in their care for residents
• The types of group work employed in the effective delivery of the clinical programme to residents
• Presentation of workshops delivered to residents by key counsellors for the effective management of their substance use disorder following discharge
• Outlines the response to clients challenged by the impact of childhood adversity which may lead to relapse
• How Tabor Group Family Service is integrated into the primary treatment programme and support the family members of clients ensuring their participation in the client’s treatment
• Presents how clients become aware of continuing care services while resident in primary treatment. The final section sets out a weekly schedule where these methodologies are presented to clients

Mick Devine, Tabor Group Clinic Director said: “The launch of Tabor Group’s Treatment Service Handbook is central to Tabor Group pursuit of improvement, in the further development and delivery of consistent treatment services for people impacted by substance use disorder”. He added “The development of this Handbook involved a wide range of sectors, stakeholders and interests working together. If we harness this energy, I have no doubt our Treatment Service Handbook will be a key tool for other services in the industry” Through this handbook, Tabor Group aim to:

1. To provide an environment where a client will gain insight into the nature of substance use disorder, and the damaging impact it has had. To use these insights to become motivated to manage the disorder more constructively in the future.
2. To support the client in understanding that they have within themselves the resources to make the necessary changes to recover. In this way to build self-esteem and grow confidence in the client’s ability to succeed in the management of the disorder.
3. To equip the client with skills needed to cope without the use of substances and addictive behaviours. This is done at the pace optimum for client assimilation, digestion and metabolisation of the skills of sober living.
4. To provide an environment to enable the client to regain dignity and respect for themselves and others. This includes focusing the delivery of the treatment episode on the individualised needs of each client.
5. Using a variety of tools for comprehensive assessment of client’s needs to develop an individualised care plan with SMART Goals considering various options available.
6. To work in collaboration with other relevant agencies to mobilise community and family resources to establish sustainable recovery capital for the individual.
7. Working from a trauma informed approach, respond to the complex needs of clients with history of childhood adversity, dual diagnosis and poly addiction in ways that do not trigger overwhelming emotional distress. To empower clients to regulate their own emotional responses more effectively.