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- Barnstaple police pilot
Barnstaple police pilot
Region: South West
Location: Barnstaple, North Devon
Delivery partner: Devon PCT
Summary
Based in Barnstaple Custody Centre, this project worked in partnership with existing drug and alcohol referral workers to identify people with mental health problems and other complex needs, and provide support and signposting to services that may be able to help them. It ran from January to December 2009.
This project was part of our National Development Programme.
Project type: Service delivery
Project status: This project has now closed
Partners
- Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
- Devon PCT
- Devon Drug and Alcohol Action Team
- Addaction
- EDP Drug and Alcohol Services
- Care Services Improvement Partnership South West
- A number of other partners
Project aim
Increase the identification of individuals with multiple, complex and challenging needs at police custody and provide appropriate and assertive intervention and signposting opportunities for individuals identified.
Project outline
The service, delivered by Devon PCT, developed and implemented a triage approach in Barnstaple Custody Centre. The project worker:
- screened detainees for multiple needs
- undertook a care co-ordination role where appropriate, encouraging individuals to engage with services
- delivered brief interventions and
- monitored, including service user feedback, and reported outcomes
The project worked in partnership with existing drug and alcohol services operating at the Custody Centre. It contributed to delivering joint drug, alcohol and mental health screening, and delivered a programme of brief interventions to those identified as having low level mental health issues but not meeting the access criteria for community mental health, alcohol and drug services.
Brief interventions focused on engaging the offender, obtaining GP registration, identification and access of appropriate service provision, exploring coping strategies, advocacy with housing, welfare benefits etc, healthy living advice and drug and alcohol advice.
This project ran from January 2009 to December 2009. It closed in December 2009 due to lack of continuation funding.
The Final Local Operational Report for the North Devon project can be downloaded here.
Please contact the central office for more information about this project.
