Addiction charity reports 52% increase in demand for services

Coolmine, a national drug treatment and rehabilitation charity, experienced a 52 per cent increase in demand for its services nationally in 2021, its annual report states.

Clients accessed services including assessment, treatment, housing and education supports from the charity, which has been operational since 1973.

In 2021 Coolmine supported 1,885 people to access treatment and recovery supports.

In 2021, 70 per cent of those who availed of the services progressed to employment, training or education in the course of the year.

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A total of 63 women and 30 children were supported in Coolmine’s mother and child residential treatment programme, including 18 homeless pregnant women, throughout 2021. The roll out of the community Parents Under Pressure programme helped 88 families to remain in their homes.

Throughout the year six new services opened in Cork and Kerry, in collaboration with the HSE, to provide treatment for 345 people and their families locally.

Two new services also opened in the midwest, including Mahon House in Limerick City. It provides community and day supports to 241 clients including women, pregnant women and their children impacted by problem substance use.

Some 57 members of the Traveller community received support from Coolmine in 2021.

Coolmine chief executive Pauline McKeown said she had “no doubt” demand for its services would continue to grow and the full impact of Covid-19 on addiction would “not be fully realised for some time to come”.

“We are starting to see individuals, who typically had a lot of social and recovery supports in their life, experiencing mental health issues and increasing levels of substance use,” she said.

She noted 85 per cent of women and 20 per cent of men who engaged in Coolmine services had diagnosed mental health issues concurrent with their problem substance use.

“The burden of the cost-of-living crisis will only serve to fuel these problems,” Ms McKeown said.

The charity urged the Government to address the “underfunding and sustainability crisis” facing charity organisations under Section 39 of the Charities Act 2009.