In 1999, Seventy4 set-up a specialist service for clients who have both an addiction problem and a severe and enduring mental health problem. This is known as a dual-diagnosis. Clients who have the dual condition, find themselves living in a 'cycle of dependency', in that they use substances as a way of selfmedicating or escaping from the pain of living with their mental health symptoms.
Since 1999, demand for the Dartmouth Street Programme has risen to such an extent that there are now three programmes on offer to London residents. The service is highly respected and renowned amongst both clients and professionals alike and there is no other outpatient service for dual-diagnosis clients of its kind in London.
All three programmes are designed to be flexible so that new service users can start every week and the programme can be completed in 12 weeks. However, longer and shorter periods on the programme can be arranged.
Some of the areas that are addressed on the programmes include:
- Relapse prevention
- Understanding and appropriate use of prescribed medication
- Support with social/life skills
- Anger Management
- Budgeting
- Education
- Relaxation techniques
- Individual counselling/key-working
A support service is also available to clients on Monday afternoons to provide additional support after the weekend.
The Programmes
The three programmes have been developed according to the different mental health needs of individuals and their whereabouts in the addiction recovery process.
Phoenix Group
(abstinence-based programme)
The Phoenix Group takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
It is a structured 12-week programme that has been designed for clients with a dual-diagnosis to achieve total abstinence from substances by
offering a safe space to explore new ways of adjusting to a life without drugs or alcohol.
The programme is a mixture of psychoeducational and therapeutic group work and all clients also receive an individual counselling session with a qualified counsellor.
The group is suitable for clients whose mental health is stable and who are able to work towards engaging with abstinence from substances.
The Reflections Group
(non-abstinence based programme)
The Reflections Group takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Clients are not expected to be abstinent from illicit drugs and alcohol in order to be accepted onto the programme, but they must be clean and sober for up to 24 hours before their day of attendance.
The Reflections Group is a 12-week structured programme, which is a combination of psychoeducational and therapeutic group work. However, on this particular programme, the emphasis is on helping clients to understand a harm minimisation approach to substances and it is the intention to enable clients to explore abstinence and move onto The Phoenix Group.
All clients receive an individual key-working session with a qualified counsellor.
The New Hope Group
(abstinence based)
The New Hope group takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
This programme has been specifically developed for people with a personality disorder and a history of substance misuse. The programme is abstinence-based.
The New Hope group is a combination of psycho-educational and therapeutic group work and all clients also receive an individual counselling session with a qualified counsellor.
The New Hope group is open to clients with a diagnosis of personality disorder and also to people without a full diagnosis but with recognised and diagnosed personality disorder traits.
Referral process
To attend any of the Darmouth Street Programmes, clients must have a third party involved in their care. Therefore, referrals to any groups can be made by
Substance Misuse Teams, Community Mental Health Teams and other psychiatric services.
Seventy4 will take referrals and arrange assessments for the Dartmouth Street Programme over the telephone, but relevant psychiatric information and details
of substance misuse history, will be needed prior to seeing clients.
If you would like to have an informal discussion prior to booking an assessment regarding any of the Dartmouth Street Programmes, please telephone and speak
to a member of the clinical team.