Tag: Improvement Fund

£1.6 million to support community-based drugs projects

 Grants worth a total of £1.61 million have been allocated to community-based drugs organisations and support services providing access to treatment and residential rehabilitation.

The Local Support Fund – for groups with an annual income of under £1 million – issued 24 awards. Recipients included the Navigator project, run by Medics Against Violence, which will get £37,256 to help patients who attend Emergency Departments access appropriate local services after  discharge.

Grants of up to £100,000 were awarded to 17 organisations under the Improvement Fund which supports services leading to fast access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and initiatives which help drug users address the underlying challenges they face.

This round of funding is from the £18 million package announced in March to support the national mission to reduce drug related deaths and improve lives.

Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “I am pleased we have been able to support these organisations to improve and extend their services.

“The Local Support Fund will help community based projects increase their capacity so they can reach more people who experience problem drug use and offer increased support to them and their families.

“The Improvement Fund supports initiatives which lead to quick access to treatment and help for families. It can also be used for residential rehabilitation and to provide access to additional support, such as mental health services, to enable people to address any underlying challenges they face.

“Over the next five years we will spend £250 million on addressing the drug deaths crisis, £100 million of which will go on improving the provision of residential rehabilitation and I will update Parliament on progress in this area after the summer recess.

“As I have said before, I am determined that every penny of this additional funding will make a difference to all those affected by drug use in Scotland.”

Director of Medics Against Violence Christine Goodall said: “Medics Against Violence are absolutely delighted to have been given the opportunity to expand the capacity of the Navigator Project. 

“This project provides relational and responsive support for people who are at risk or in crisis, so this expansion will play an important role in keeping even more people safe and connected.  We hope that by continuing to working together with partners we can support people towards safer and healthier lives.” 

Full list of funding recipients

Minister announces plans for improvement in drug services

Women, families and children are among those who will benefit from separate funds worth a total of £18 million to improve drugs services.

Four schemes are planned for May with the funds coming from the additional £250 million announced by the First Minister to tackle the drug deaths emergency over the next five years.

The four projects will aim to develop consistent treatment standards around the country and ensure more people can get access to services that can reduce harm, provide treatment and ultimately save their lives.

The four funds are:

  • a £5 million Communities Fund to provide resources to community and third sector organisations to increase capacity  
  • a £5 million Improvement Fund to support improvements to services for outreach, treatment, rehabilitation and aftercare, with dedicated support for women
  • a £3 million Families and Children Fund to support the families of those affected by drug misuse during treatment
  • a £5 million Recovery Fund for additional residential rehabilitation capacity 

Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “We have said a national mission is needed to tackle the drug deaths emergency and this coming year will see funding for alcohol and drugs support increasing to £140.7 million.

“This latest round of funding sees us build on the £1 million Communities Fund and £1 million Improvement Fund we launched in February. We want to make additional resources available to more community and third sector organisations so that we can support more people into treatment and offer support to their families.

“I am pleased we are also able to direct more funding to develop services specifically for women and children. We want to make it easier for women to access treatment by removing any barriers such as a lack of childcare.

“I have already committed to taking action on the recommendations from the Residential Rehabilitation Working Group and this will be backed by £100 million over the next five years.

“We recognise residential rehabilitation may not be for everyone which is why we are determined, as part of our national mission, to make sure that people can access whatever treatment is right for them in the right place at the right time.”

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs CEO Justina Murray said: “There is an urgent need to improve support for children, young people and adult family members – all of whom are harmed by others’ alcohol and drug use, and all of whom have faced even bigger harms during the COVID pandemic.

“We know most family members remain hidden due to the stigma, shame and secrecy of substance use in the family, along with the lack of visible, high quality family support across Scotland.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and with families to transform this situation, so that every family member in Scotland can reach the support they need, regardless of their situation or location.”

New funds for drugs services

Applications for additional support open this week

Two funds, worth £1 million each, will open this week to support grassroots, community and residential organisations to improve drugs services. 

 A £1 million Grassroots Fund will provide resources to third sector organisations to enable them to increase capacity and provide further reach into the community. Eligible organisations must have an annual income under £1 million and can apply for grants up to £50,000.

A £1 million Improvement Fund will support service development and increases to capacity across residential and community services. It will consider applications for grants up to £100,000.

The funding is part of the £5 million support package announced by the First Minister last month to ensure immediate action on addressing Scotland’s drug deaths emergency before the end of this financial year.

Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “I am delighted to support grassroots and third sector organisations to extend their services.

“The Grassroots Fund will help organisations working on the frontline that do vital and invaluable work. They often exist on shoestring budgets and this extra funding can help provide more security so they can stabilise or increase capacity and extend services to provide further reach into the community for people who experience problem drug use and their families.

“The Improvement Fund will help us get more people into treatment. We know the number of individuals who drop out of support and treatment services is too high. This funding will support activities which lead to quick access to treatment and support for families. It can also be used for residential rehabilitation and collaborative approaches which help people address all the underlying challenges that they face.

“A national mission is needed – those whose life is blighted by drugs are our relatives, our friends, our neighbours. Our vision is for a culture of change: a culture of compassion devoid of stigma in which people are given a real chance of recovery.”

The Corra Foundation will administer both funds. Both will open to bids on 18 February 2021. All allocations will be made before 31 March 2021. 

https://www.corra.scot/about/