Summary Report Treatment And Rehabilitation For Women With Substance Use Problems Workshop On Best Practices June 6 And 7, 2002

1.0 Background and Opening Remarks

On June 6 and 7, 2002, forty professionals from across Canada working with women with substance use problems got together in Ottawa for the Workshop on Best Practices in Treatment and Rehabilitation for Women with Substance Use Problems. During the 2-day workshop, the participants had the opportunity to share information and experience and continue to build on their knowledge of best practices in treatment and rehabilitation for women. Stéphane Racine, Acting Manager of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Division, Office of Canada’s Drug Strategy, Health Canada, welcomed the participants and discussed the objectives of the workshop:

• to disseminate best practice knowledge based on the publication Best Practices -Treatment and Rehabilitation for Women with Substance Use Problems;
• to network and exchange information on issues pertaining to the best practices; and
• to identify how best to apply the best practices to treatment and rehabilitation programs and services for women within their respective provinces/territories.

The workshop builds on the Research Agenda approved by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs Issues. It was structured to facilitate a high level of discussion and exchange among participants and focussed on four main topic areas:

1. Outreach, Contact and Engagement
2. Treatment Approaches
3. Client Retention
4. Barriers

Four experts presented their program/service with a focus on one of the main topic areas:

• Nancy Poole from The Aurora Centre, British Columbia – presented on Outreach, Contact and Engagement.
• Nancy Hicks from Ridgewood Addiction Services, New Brunswick – presented on Treatment Approaches.
• Nanci Harris from Jean Tweed Centre, Ontario – presented on Client Retention.
• Colleen Allan from Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, Manitoba – presented on Barriers.

These presentations served as the starting point for discussions. The employees of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Division of the Office of Canada’s Drug Strategy, Health Canada and the workshop participants appreciated their contributions to the workshop.