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We commissioned Karralika Program to deliver the Non-Residential Withdrawal Support Service (NRWSS), which supports young people and adults with anticipated mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms to safely cease or reduce AOD use, in the comfort of their own home. The NRWSS provides an effective and evidence-based service that is an alternative to residential withdrawal services. The nurses from the NRWSS also provide education and information session across the community at many organisations.
Early independent evaluation results indicate that the service is a highly valued and essential program that provides flexible, community-based withdrawal management for people in the ACT and regional NSW.
Achievements
- 100% of clients reported they would recommend the service to friends and family.
- 69 clients were support through over 1,200 occasions of service, where all clients reported reducing their primary substance of concern by half.
- Daily support from the withdrawal Nurse and the overarching collaboration between health professionals in coordinating service users’ care helped to restore health and wellbeing in their lives.
Client story
Grace* (not their real name) was referred to the NRW program by her counsellor for cannabis withdrawal support. While finishing school and working part-time, Grace started cannabis 6 months ago partly to alleviate boredom and partly due to peer pressure at school.
As part of the treatment planning with Grace, the NRW Nurse put in place a gradual reduction plan and worked with Grace and her GP to ensure there was access to symptomatic relief medication during the withdrawal process. The NRW nurses also supported Grace with emotional regulation strategies and a personalised safety plan. Her counsellor continued working with her on communication skills and assertiveness to express her choices confidently among peers.
Grace successfully reduced her use and detoxed in week 3. Periods of symptoms were well managed by the medications provided by her GP and support from her counsellor. A few months later, Grace contacted the NRW program herself to seek support, reporting irregular cannabis use. The NRW team and GP worked together with her on a supported withdrawal plan and management of symptoms. Maintaining abstinence for 13 days, Grace completed the program and sought a referral to an AOD counsellor to focus on relapse prevention strategies and to continue his recovery journey.
