harm reduction
An update from the Downtown Mission’s Phoenix Recovery Program
Pictured above: Graduates and participants of the Phoenix Recovery Program.
The Phoenix Recovery Program has been going strong. We have had a huge uptick in attendance over the last quarter. We are averaging 9-12 clients per day with a good Recovery turnaround.
The Phoenix Program is a 12-Step Cognitive Behavioural Therapy program. Our program is 12-weeks long, along with aftercare after graduation. We have moved from separate programs for men and women to co-ed programming. Our program is being promoted across the city and referrals are coming from various organizations. Within Phoenix Recovery we also work within a harm reduction model. For those who believe abstinence isn’t their main goal we work with them to help them get to where they need to be in life.
We also have one-on-one counseling available for those who work or have issues making it to group. We also provide family counseling for those affected by the disease of alcoholism.
Mental Health and Addictions Response Team (MHART)
Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare has added a new service offering to our integrated mobile health response teams with the introduction of the Mental Health and Addictions Response Team (MHART). Recently, we were excited to welcome Health Minister and Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones to announce the importance and impact of this collaborative team and its life-changing work in our community.
In a partnership between Essex-Windsor EMS, MHART pairs an HDGH Social Worker and Essex Windsor EMS Community Paramedic responding to mental health and/or addiction-related 9-1-1 calls. When not responding to 9-1-1 calls, this team will provide follow-up care, including to those who have overdosed, as close to real-time as possible, ensuring harm reduction is provided and/or coordinating referrals to the most appropriate community agency.
Learn more by visiting MHART on the HDGH website.