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"I feel a lot more positive and motivated. The outreach team have really helped"

Working with Other Professionals

Joe
I first met the outreach team about six months after leaving my home in Scotland. I'd started using drugs when I was 15 and heroin became my drug of choice.

I used to be a builder but kept my addiction secret from my workmates. I got married and became a father for the first time. When my son was born, I stopped using but after a few months, my relationship turned sour and my wife threatened to stop me seeing my son.

It was after this that I started to use again and also began to drink quite heavily. I was finally sacked when one of my bosses caught me using. In the last 18 months, I've been in trouble with the police but have so far avoided prison. My wife's filed for divorce and I'm not allowed access to my son.

I realised I needed to get a safe place to get my head together so moved to York and got a bed in a hostel. The outreach team got me in touch with a GP and the Compass Primary Care Team; they also gave me harm minimisation advice, referred me to supported housing and arranged for counselling at Compass One.

As a result, I've reduced my heroin use by half and I'm thinking about asking my GP for a methadone script. I feel a lot more positive and motivated. The outreach team have really helped by pulling together lots of support from different agencies.

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