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Community Alcohol and Drugs (CADS)

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About us

Community Alcohol and Drugs Service (CADS)

The Community Alcohol and Drug Service (CADS) provide comprehensive alcohol and drug assessment and treatment for:

  • tangata whaiora presenting with moderate to severe, complex substance abuse and/or dependency

Alcohol and drug services are provided at Hamilton, Thames and Te Awamutu. Outreach clinics are also available in rural areas.

We provide specialist services to the most severely affected tangata whaiora.  Comprehensive alcohol and drug assessment and treatment planning form the basis of multi-disciplinary team treatment that includes:

  • medical assessment and treatment
  • individual case management and talking therapy
  • educational and therapeutic groups
  • hospital-based assessment / stabilisation in-patient beds
  • home alcohol detoxification program
  • consult liaison service to Waikato Hospital and HRBC
  • Psychological therapy
  • Access to free hepatitis C screening and intervention as applicable
  • Links with Community Probation Services offering brief alcohol and drug screening with referral onto the most appropriate service as applicable

Opioid Substitution Treatment program

We provide an opioid substitution treatment (OST) program. Eligibility for the OST program is defined by the Opioid Substitution Treatment New Zealand Practice Guidelines 2014 entry criteria. OST prescribing may include either methadone or buprenorphine naloxone treatment. Once stabilised on treatment our GP shared cared service will provide support to your GP to continue your treatment.

Contacts

Community Alcohol and Drugs Service (CADS)
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm
Phone: 07 834 6902

Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Service
Available 24/7
Phone: 0800 50 50 50

  • Adults, 20 years and older although treatment may be provided to younger people in some circumstances.

  • Tangata whaiora younger than 20 years of age may be seen if no other provider exists in the area but they must have issues associated with complex substance abuse or substance dependence

  • We provide specialist programmes for tangata whaiora with opioid dependency and co-existing mental health disorders. 

Self-referrals are preferred, although another person may make a referral with the tangata whaiora consent and knowledge.