Drug and alcohol support in prison
Drug and alcohol support in prison
In all prisons, there are teams who provide treatment and support to prisoners who have health and social care needs. This includes any substance use needs a person may have.
WithYou provides drug and alcohol support in two prisons in Lincolnshire: HMP Lincoln and HMP North Sea Camp.
In other prisons, these services will be delivered by another provider. You can find out who that provider is by contacting the prison directly or checking on the prison website.
Receiving treatment and support in prison
We understand that receiving a custodial sentence can be incredibly difficult for both the individual and their extended family. You may have lots of questions about what will happen, what prison life is like, and how a person’s substance use needs are met whilst serving their sentence.
Please be reassured that the individual’s needs will be addressed and supported, regardless of whether or not the individual was already receiving treatment in the community.
All prisons have a duty to deliver appropriate health and social care interventions to prisoners within their care, and to make sure there is a smooth transition back into the community. This includes interventions for substance related issues.
WithYou's support services
At WithYou, we use a range of different interventions, supporting people to understand their drug use, address any underlying issues and take back control.
Learn more about the different types of support someone can access for their substance use:
How we work in prisons
Within 24 hours of a person being taken into prison, they will undertake a reception process which aims to welcome the individual into the environment and address any immediate needs they have.
At this point, the person will be asked questions about their health and social care needs, including any substance use needs, so that the appropriate teams within the prison can initiate their support.
If required, the individual will also be seen by a clinician who can provide any medication needed.
They will then be assigned a Recovery Worker - a named substance use worker who will work with the individual throughout their sentence to achieve their recovery goals. If required, the individual will also meet regularly with a member of the clinical team to review any medications they are taking in relation to their substance use.
If a person was already receiving substance use treatment in the community, their Recovery Worker will make contact with the community provider to understand a little more about the treatment they were receiving. Wherever possible, we will continue on the path of progress that was already being made, and develop a recovery plan with the individual which builds upon any work already undertaken.
For those new to treatment, we will put a comprehensive package of support in place which addresses all needs related to the individual’s substance use.
Towards the end of a person’s sentence, we will work with them to assess whether or not they will continue to need support in the community after their release. Where this is the case, we will make all necessary arrangements for treatment to be continued in the community with the local community substance use team. This will include arrangements for medications to be continued.
