Complimentary Dish 
(related pages, different section)

Ragin's article: Working Towards Services for All Substance Abusing Mentally Ill People

Jay's Story

The goal of The Village Integrated Services Agency's dual diagnosis services is to assist members in recognizing whether drugs/ alcohol are interfering with their life goals and offer a menu of options and support to take action to overcome these barriers, reduce harmful behaviors and improve the quality of their lives.

• Harm reduction is the guiding philosophy of The Village dual diagnosis services. Harm reduction is a public health alternative to the moral/ criminal and disease models of drug use and addiction. Harm reduction emphasizes meeting members "where they are at", help them to understand the risks involved in their behaviors and make decisions about their own goals.

• Every member should be offered a universal level of care (help in obtaining food, clothing, shelter, medication, and a safe place to be) regardless of his/ her drug and alcohol status. Diagnostic labels should not determine the appropriate level of care.

• We must "see" and work with the whole person, not just the addiction. The member's strengths, interests and skills must be recognized.

• Member's presence in the building is to be evaluated by their behavior only. Suspected intoxication or members known to be under the influence is not a basis for a member's dismissal from the building. Threats to the safety of themselves or others and disruptiveness should be considered as criteria.

• The treatment/ engagement process begins from day 1. There should be no waiting for people to "hit bottom" and become ready. Matching the appropriate intervention to an accurate assessment of the member's level of readiness is a critical skill.

• Village staff's tasks is to help member's explore the positive and negative aspects of their substance use and work toward specific, self- determined goals ranging from safer use to abstinence.

• Any objective identified by the member regarding drug and alcohol, even if it is a reduction of risk rather than the elimination of it should be completely supported by staff. Such reductions in risk may include using clean needles, reducing the frequency of use, and eliminating the use of one substance but not another.

• Employment opportunities are not dependent on a workers sobriety but on their functional performance on the job.

• Money management is a means to help members get and keep adequate housing and food. It is not appropriate method of attempting to control member's substance use.

• Every staff must convey meaningful hope to members