Jobcentre Plus Drugs Strategy

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Jobcentre Plus Drugs Strategy
An overview for external partners
Peter Clark Jobcentre Plus District Drug
Coordinator Tees Valley District peter.clark_at_jobc
entreplus.gsi.gov.uk
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Background

• Jobcentre Plus (JCP) is responsible for
  delivering a number of commitments from The
  National Drug Strategy Drugs Protecting
  Families and Communities 2008.
• Most of the 330,000 users of crack cocaine or
  heroin in England are unemployed.
• Three quarters are on welfare benefits, and
  around half of them are in drug treatment.
• However over 100,000 are receiving welfare
  benefits without receiving any treatment at all.

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The current situation

• Class A drug use generates an estimated 15
  billion in crime and health costs a year, of
  which 99 is accounted for by heroin and crack
  use.
• Between a third and a half of acquisitive crime
  is estimated to be drug related.
• Progress to Work is already working successfully
  but is aimed at helping recovering addicts
  returning to the labour market after treatment.
  This new initiative will provide a front end
  process for advisers to identify and refer
  customers with drug problems into treatment

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Jobcentre Plus Drug Co-ordinators
The role of the Drug Coordinator is to -

• Establish a single point of contact with drug
  treatment providers and clear routeway for JCP
  referrals
• Ensure the correct level of support is available
  in treatment provision
• Ensure JCP Advisers have appropriate Drug
  Awareness Training and
• Strengthen referral pathways from drug treatment
  providers to education, employment and training.
• Coordinate the relationship between JCP and
  Treatment Provision

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Jobcentre Plus Personal Adviser

• The customer may volunteer the information that
  they are a misuser of drugs and/or alcohol.
• The JCP Adviser will make the referral to the
  Drug Treatment Provider, with the customers
  consent.
• The JCP Adviser will work with Key Workers in
  Treatment Provision to help the customer remain
  in treatment and move towards the labour market
  at an appropriate pace.
• The Adviser will then have a role in helping the
  customer access JCP and Partner provision, once
  they have reached an appropriate point in their
  Treatment Journey

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What Happens Next

• Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Welfare
  Reform Bill, a new regime will be piloted in
  several Jobcentre Plus Districts in England
• A national roll out of these pilots will be
  considered after a full evaluation has taken
  place.

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Tees Valley Single Point Of Contact Organisations

• Darlington - The Elmfield Centre, 29
  Corporation Road Darlington 01325 555920
  
• Hartlepool - Community Drugs Centre,
  Whitby Street Hartlepool 01429 285000
• Middlesbrough - Care Coordination Team, 2 Park
  Road Middlesbrough 01642 245296
• James Cook
• East
• Redcar, - Care Coordination Team,128
  High Street Redcar 01642 756423
• Eston -
• Loftus
• Guisborough
• Stockton, - Structured Day Programme,
  32-34 William Street Stockton 01642 356088
• Billingham
• Thornaby