New addiction centre for Palmerston North

The Salvation Army’s Addiction Services has established a Bridge Programme Centre in Palmerston North—the result of a long and close collaboration with the local corps and its Community Ministries centre.

The Palmerston North Bridge centre offers a three-bed social detoxification programme for adults beginning the transition from substance abuse to sobriety, and who do not require medical support. It is the only service of its kind in the region. The service has a particular focus on methamphetamine addiction but will be available for the treatment of addiction to alcohol and other substances.

About 60 people gathered for the official opening, including local Salvation Army officers and staff, and MidCentral District Health Board, Palmerston North City Council, local iwi, and community agency representatives.

At the opening, Palmerston North Corps Officer Captain Allan Bateman said comprehensive addiction treatment had been the key service missing from The Salvation Army’s activities in the region, and the new Bridge centre was the first step in filling this gap.

The centre’s manager Philip Eichler says the expectation is that the centre will develop beyond its current detox services and will eventually provide other addiction treatment services.

The centre is located on The Salvation Army men’s hostel site and the two facilities will share some resources. This will allow the Bridge centre to provide 24-hour support to clients. The centre is unique in that it is the only one in the territory that is jointly managed by Addiction Services and a Community Ministries centre.

The focus of the service is to help clients in the initial stages of breaking their addictions. The centre provides a safe and quiet, low stimulus environment in which clients can re-establish healthy sleep, nutrition and exercise patterns. Education, individual support and group work is part of the six-day programme, overseen by the centre’s drug and alcohol clinician Cyndi Friend.

Clients are then referred on for further treatment or, if assessed to be appropriate, return to the community with suitable agency and community support. Several clients have transferred to the Wellington Bridge for further residential treatment.

The Salvation Army established a Recovery Church (a supportive faith community for those in recovery from addictions) in Palmerston North a year ago and this will play a significant part in many clients’ recovery, Philip says. Local Salvationists are also helping out at the Bridge with the spiritual dimension of care. That the corps and Community Ministries have long been developing a close and collaborative relationship is central to the establishment and success of the centre, he says.

Philip Eichler’s favourite metaphor for overcoming addiction—particularly the spectre of methamphetamine—is the Old Testament struggle between David and Goliath. A painting of their conflict, by artist Andy Campbell of Bulls, adorns a wall at the Bridge centre.