From Wednesday, 1 April, The Forward Trust will deliver substance misuse services in Medway, in partnership with Open Road.
The service will support people in Medway who have issues with drugs and/or alcohol. Open Road, who are experts in empowering a diverse range of people to lead healthy and more meaningful lives, will help those who are supported by the service to maintain their sobriety through the recovery element of the service.
This new service also provides The Forward Trust with an opportunity to deliver some original, innovative and exciting interventions, including the use of virtual reality, digital programmes and a Recovery Village, where clients will have access to a variety of different support agencies. They will also deploy extensive outreach as part of the service – taking support to people where they are at and actively working to engage some of the hardest-to-reach communities, including street homeless.
Interventions will have a strong focus on support for the friends and families of clients. Those involved will be offered specialist support, including a tailored course delivered by lived experience expert George Charlton.
Other local partners will include organisations such as supported accommodation provider AMAT UK.
Person-centred care
Cllr David Brake, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder covering Public Health, said: “We are looking forward to working with The Forward Trust to provide a holistic treatment and recovery service for our residents. We will work closely with all services to ensure a smooth transition as we continue to strive towards person-centred care.”
Supporting people to break the cycle of addiction
Forward Trust CEO Mike Trace said: “I am absolutely delighted that Forward have been awarded the contract to provide substance misuse services in Medway. We are excited about this new way of working, which means we can support more people to break the cycle of addiction and transform their lives for the better.”
Helping those on the road to recovery
Open Road CEO Sarah Wright said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Forward Trust in Medway, delivering a wide range of services to people with drug and alcohol issues, assisting them on their road to recovery.”