The Addiction Counselling – Community Justice program (ACCJ) offers therapeutic intervention regarding complex substance use issues for individuals who are justice-engaged in support of improved life, wellness, and justice outcomes. ACCJ provides voluntary support services to clients including screening and assessment, short-term evidence based intervention, and referral for ongoing care. Services also include consultation with referring agencies and primary care providers; and referrals to other programs/services for treatment and relapse prevention.
ACCJ services are provided to clients 18 years of age and older, who are currently engaged in Probation and Parole Services with SOLGEN and who are interested in improved, health, life, wellness and justice outcomes as they relate to substance use concerns.
ACCJ provides services to clients who receive Probation and Parole supports based in Guelph, Kitchener, and Cambridge and is staffed by an Addiction Counsellor. The Counsellor is registered as a Social Worker with the OCSWSSW and/or Psychotherapists with the CRPO.
Clients are referred to ACCJ by Probation and Parole Officers as appropriate. ACCJ is a voluntary service and consent from the client must be obtained before proceeding with the referral. Referred clients will be screened for eligibility and are supported to access alternative services if ACCJ is not able to provide the required level of care.
The basic service admission criteria include:
- Are 18 years of age or older and receiving Probation and Parole Supports;
- Are able to attend in-person or virtual appointments in Guelph, Cambridge, and/or Kitchener;
- Are consenting to service and willing and able to follow treatment recommendations;
Discharge from ACCJ may occur if:
- The client discontinues contact with ACCJ staff and/or P&P and does not respond to outreach;
- Another service was found to meet the individual’s needs and they are successfully referred and care is transferred;
- The referral is withdrawn at the request of individual and/or referring agency; and/or
- Further information indicates that the client’s needs do not match available resources.
ACCJ staff are based out of Probation and Parole offices in Cambridge, Kitchener, and Guelph. ACCJ operates Monday through Friday during the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm. The service is provided year round.
ACCJ Counsellors utilize tools and strategies from a variety of theoretical approaches depending on their professional background and the individual needs of specific clients. The theories of practice that are used in intervention include:
- Motivational Interviewing
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Staged-Matched Intervention
- Harm Reduction
- Brief Solution-Focused Therapy
