Funding blow to Ross-shire alcohol support service
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ALCOHOLISM support in Ross-shire has been dealt a blow after a group that helps people fight addiction announced its closure – amid funding cuts and increasing red tape.
The board of Alcohol Counselling Services Ross and Sutherland (ACSRS), which has been supporting people in the region for more than 25 years, has “sadly and regretfully” decided that the service will close from April 30.
News of the closure has been greeted with dismay by recovering addicts, one of whom, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that without the service their “outcome could have been very different”.
Explaining the reasons for the closure, the service’s co-ordinator, Chris Cochrane, said: “This decision has not been taken lightly. There are many reasons why this course of action is necessary, the main one being the struggle to secure sufficient finances to run the organisation.”
About £45,000 to £50,000 is needed annually but Ms Cochrane said that the NHS is doing a review of third sector input, and can only confirm funding up to June.
Without the support of the NHS, they will find it difficult to win the support of other funding bodies.
The news will be a blow to the 30 service users currently on the books of ACSRS many of whom faced a personal battle before seeking help and then keeping on attending to receive the support on offer.
However Ms Cochrane said they will do everything in their power to ensure their clients receive alternative assistance with their dependency. Around 60 people with alcohol dependency are referred to them each year.
She said: “The board is actively pursuing alternative arrangements for our service users and volunteer counsellors who wish to continue their support or volunteering.
“ACSRS has been indebted to many people over the years who have given their time and expertise freely as volunteers. Some have assisted in the management of the service as board members providing governance and support for staff and volunteers.
“Others have given thousands of hours of their free time as trained volunteer counsellors. There are six counsellors and not all of them will be wanting to move on though some might seek paid employment.
“The training for these counsellors was previously provided free. It now requires a source of additional funding.
“As for other voluntary organisations, the burden of bureaucracy has increased without the corresponding increase in income, and the task of securing additional funding has become more challenging.
“ACSRS is the only voluntary organisation within Ross-shire and Sutherland offering a free professional one-to-one counselling service for those affected by their own or a loved one’s addiction. Our work complements the work done by NHS Drug and Alcohol Recovery staff.
“We would like to thank all those people for their extremely valuable contributions which made it possible for us to serve our community for over 25 years.”
Councillor Margaret Paterson, Dingwall and Seaforth, said: “I know this group and this will be a dreadful loss as they give a tremendous service. It is quite distressing to hear this because they have given people with addiction and their families such help for so many years. Their volunteers have given such time and talent to help the vulnerable in society, but if they don’t have money then they just can’t do it. I hope that something can be done to continue their good work.”
Two service users who wished to remain anonymous praised ACSRS for the help they received. One said: “I can honestly say that ACSRS played a major part in my recovery. If that help was not there when I needed it, the outcome could have been very different.”
The other said: “Hearing a voice that was willing to listen to me was a relief on one of the darkest days of my life.”
