Limerick drug and alcohol treatment centre was at full capacity in 2023
The centre keeps mothers and children together during recovery
A LIMERICK city drug and alcohol treatment centre for women with their children was at full capacity in 2023 - supporting 44 women and 20 children.
41% of the cases in the Mid-West were looking for support for alcohol dependency.
22% of cases were related to cocaine and 21% were for heroin addiction.
Minister Colm Burke from the Department of Health visited Coolmine Westbourne House, where single women and mothers undergo a minimum five month residential stay, followed by six months of aftercare, which includes full time childcare for children under the age of five.
This service allows women and mothers to access the support they need without being separated from their children and their children are being cared for while they work towards recovery.
The main drug treated at Westbourne House was alcohol (44%), followed by cocaine (36%).
Out of the 44 women and 20 children in Coolmine in 2023, 40 of the women and 14 of the children were new admissions.
Minister Colm Burke described the visit as “incredibly enlightening.”
He said: “It's clear that organisations like Coolmine are pivotal in addressing the complex challenges of drug misuse in our society.
“It highlighted the imperative need to remove stigma and roadblocks for all women seeking recovery treatments. Part of this is ensuring that women who are mothers have childcare in place, breaking the cycle of children going into care during the recovery process.
“To effectively combat this issue, a collaborative, cross-governmental approach is imperative. We must work together to provide comprehensive support systems that address the root causes.”
In 2023, there were 383 referrals in the Mid-West with two thirds of those being for women.
Reflecting on the visit, Coolmine CEO Pauline McKeown said: “Together with governmental bodies, we aim to strengthen support systems, tackle addiction's root causes, and foster sustainable recoveries in our communities.
“We eagerly anticipate further collaboration in promoting health, wellbeing, and recovery.”