MAGDALÉNA, o.p.s.
prevention and treatment of addiction

Outpatient follow-up programme

Magdaléna-Podolí Follow-Up Care Centre

Persons addicted to narcotic substances who are returning to normal life following the conclusion of residential treatment programme face a significant risk of recidivism when faced with real-life conditions when adapting to normal life in society. A major source of support for them in maintaining their drug-free lifestyle at this time can be follow-up care, provided to them via the outpatient follow-up treatment programmes at our Follow-Up Treatment Centre in Prague- Podolí.

The goal of the Magdaléna o.p.s. follow-up care and follow-up treatment programmes is to assist drug-free clients with a history of addiction to narcotic substances, who have completed a programme of outpatient or residential treatment, or have abstained from these substances for a period of at least three months, and support them in the social integration process so that they can safely negotiate the demanding and, for them dangerous period following the transfer from a protected treatment environment to normal life in society. We also provide support for those who have been drug-free for an extended period of time at critical moments of managing relapse and in keeping recidivism in check. This assistance is provided the safe and peaceful environment of the Magdaléna Follow-Up Treatment Centre.

Outpatient follow-up treatment programme

• encompasses a range of services that follow the conclusion of basic treatment programmes and represent the final component in the chain of existing services for users of narcotic substances, concluding the treatment and rehabilitation process.
• is based on effective methods and techniques for the prevention of relapse and the tapping of the positive potential of interpersonal relation ships which, when taken as a whole, help to create the right conditions for clients to maintain their abstinence following treatment and strengthen positive changes in behaviour that have been achieved during treatment of their drug addiction.
• reacts flexibly to the individual needs and possibilities of the client and offers them, as part of the services offered by the organisation, adequate space for the resolution of relationship and family problems and issues connected to accommodation, employment and social and financial stabilisation. 
• strengthens the competence of individuals to satisfy their spiritual needs, create a system of values and the very acceptance of social norms, which in their end result lead to increased personal satisfaction, stabilisation, self-reliance, independence from services provided and successful social integration.
• is amongst the key factors in the success and conclusion of treatment and almost doubles the likelihood that the client’s abstinence will be maintained.
• encompasses cooperation with family members, partners or persons close to addicts, as we regard their engagement in the treatment process for users of narcotic substances as a crucial factor increasing its success. We believe in the possibility of change not only in the client, but also in their whole family background. Without this change, it would not be possible for the client to return to their original environment.

Our services

• Individual psychotherapy and counselling
• Group therapy and counselling
• Family or couples therapy and counselling
• Groups for parents and those close to clients
• Social and employment counselling
• Leisure and education programme
• Personal and telephone crisis assistance

Goals of our services

• Health, psychological and social stabilisation
• Stabilisation in abstaining lifestyle
• Coping with relapse
• Social integration
• A full and contented life
• Independence from services provided

Who the programme is aimed at

• drug-free persons with a history of addiction to narcotic substances with minimum recommended 3-month period of abstinence.
• clients who have completed a treatment programme for drug addiction > short-term (e.g. daily drop-in centre), > medium-term (e.g. in a psychiatric hospital), > long-term (in a therapeutic community).
• the programme does not exclude clients who have not undergone treatment or a similar programme, but are strongly motivated to change. We prefer, however, clients who have undergone detoxification and have received at least a short-term (outpatient or residential) course of treatment, with the intention and motivation towards long-term abstinence and who have their own accommodation. Recommendations from other institutions are an advantage, but not essential.
• clients of the Follow-Up Care Centre and our social services should be > over 18 years of age > addicted to illegal narcotic substances, > in justified cases, also suffer from other forms of addiction and who are motivated to receive treatment > or those close to them (parents, partner, relatives etc.). Our clients must be able to manage themselves and communicate in Czech. For technical and staffing reasons it is not possible for us to provide services to persons with sensual or mental handicaps.

Initial contact and acceptance into programme

Call us at: 241 409 838
  or on mobile at: 739 639 119
  e-mail us at: podoli@magdalena-ops.cz
  visit us at: Pod Vyšehradem 1, 114 00 Praha 4 - Podolí

To contact us, simply call us or come in person to arrange an information meeting (entry interview), where we can clarify your needs and our options for helping you. We will acquaint you with the nature of our institution and the contents of our outpatient follow-up treatment programme.

If agreement is reached on a possible programme, we can arrange a further interview, with your personal guarantor. If agreement is not reached, then we can recommend an alternative programme or form of care.

Clients who are not assigned to the standard follow-up care programme (either due to not fulfilling acceptance criteria, inability to fulfil programme criteria etc.), but still require addiction therapy counselling, are assigned to the outpatient programme according to the capacity and options available to the Follow-Up Care centre. Clients may join the standard Follow-Up Care Centre programme in the event of changes in criteria.

BASIC RULES OF THE FOLLOW-UP CARE CENTRE

Abstinence from drugs > Clients of the follow-up care centre shall abstain from all drugs (that is, all illegal drugs, all non-prescribed drugs or higher doses than prescribed by a doctor). > Any one-off breach of the abstinence rule is regarded as a relapse and the client is obliged to notify their guarantor (or an employee of the follow-up care centre) of this by phone within 2 days and resolve the relapse situation according to the principles contained in the Rules for Relapse. If the client fails to do this, then this shall constitute a reason for expulsion from the follow-up care programme.

Abstinence from alcohol > Alcohol is a high-risk addictive substance. Abstinence from alcohol is of benefit to the client (and essential in the case of a diagnosed addiction to alcohol). The use of alcohol is not permitted in the first phase of treatment. Any breach of abstinence is regarded as a relapse and in this case the principles contained in the Rules for Relapse apply to the client. > Years of experience in the treatment of drug addiction has shown how dangerous the use of alcohol is in the initial stages of abstinence and residence outside the treatment facility due to possible relapse. The issue of alcohol is one that is very frequently addressed in the first phase of treatment. The client takes responsibility for deciding how to deal with alcohol at further stages of treatment so that it does not affect their life and abstinence. > Due to the risks involved in its use, we recommend maintaining abstinence from alcohol during further stages of outpatient follow-up care. From our point of view, it is beneficial to abstain from alcohol for at least a year following the conclusion of treatment, which is not achieved by banning its use to the client.

Drugs and alcohol > It is forbidden to bring and use any alcohol, illegal drugs or illegally obtained medicaments to the premises of the follow-up care centre. This ban also applies to items used to apply drugs.

Relapse > A relapse is considered to be the one-off use of a drug. > If the client suffers a one-off relapse, obliged to notify their guarantor (or an employee of the follow-up care centre) of this by phone within 2 days. > If the client is attending the group programme, their participation is suspended until their relapse has been dealt with through individual meetings with their guarantor. Following this break, the client announces and discusses their relapse within their group. > In the event of further, repeated relapses, the care centre team shall decide on the client’s further participation in the programme. The client can be transferred from the group programme to the intensive care of their guarantor, or encouraged to undergo residential (repeated) treatment. > Any future acceptance of the client following relapse (or, in exceptional circumstances, recidivism) is possible only after undergoing detox.

Intoxication and recidivism > All rules of the follow-up programme concerning acute intoxication (use of an illegal substance and alcohol immediately prior to a planned visit to the care centre), relapse, recidivism and the use of alcohol are clearly, comprehensibly and unambiguously defined and apply to all clients of the follow-up care programme without exception.

Clients are informed of the rules on entry to the programme. On entry, every client receives a document entitled “Information on Intoxication, Relapse and the Use of Alcohol” during their entry interview. The centre employee participating in the entry interview discusses all rules verbally with the client and ensures that the client fully understands and is prepared to respect them, which the client confirms by signing the document. > In the event of acute intoxication (this applies to drugs and alcohol), the client may not, under any circumstances, participate in the group programme or be present within the premises of the care centre (for a period of 24 hours following use of substances), but shall contact their guarantor, or other Care centre employee, by telephone.

Psychological and physical violence and coercion > The expression of racism and intolerance, in any form (psychological, physical, hidden), towards clients and employees of the Follow-Up Care centre is forbidden.

Sexual contact between clients > Sexual contact between clients is undesirable.

Confidentiality of information about fellow clients > Clients are obliged to regard information on their fellow clients as confidential and to maintain the principle of secrecy.

METHODS AND FORMS OF PROGRAMME REALISATION

Duration of programme: (recommended c. 6-12 months)
The duration of the programme depends on the specific requirements of the client, with the use of all services offered by the Care Centre.
A schedule is drawn up with regard to the type of programme from which the client has come.

Programme structure

Grade I: (c. 3-5 meetings of 1 hour duration)
Entry interview, agreement of contract, creation of personal schedule, including specification of future client programme, with guarantor.
Grade II: (c. 1-3 months)
Individual therapy with guarantor – 1x per week
Thematic group – 1x per week
Grade III: (c. 3-6 months)
Growth group – 1x per week (1.5 hours)
Individual therapy – 1x per week (1 hour), or interviews with guarantor as required

Optional programmes

Focus on a healthy lifestyle and cultural and sports activities:
Weekend excursions > Range of leisure options according to need and interest, chiefly in cooperation with CHRPA programme and Magdaléna Therapeutic Community.

Client participation in the programme

is free-of-charge > and governed by strictly defined rules containing the principles of relapse prevention and rules for social behaviour.
is obligatory > to the extent stipulated in the client’s individual plan according to the seriousness of the problem and the level of participation in the programme. > the standard programme takes account of the needs and schedule of clients (employment, commuting) and therefore focuses on afternoon and evening sessions. > Attendance can be excused in advance by telephone, with the client giving the reason for their absence.
is open > to all clients involved in educational and leisure activities.

End of participation

by agreement > this is planned in advance in order to preserve the option of further contact if required or in the event of crisis or for other specialist care. A relevant reference can be issued. > Following termination of the standard follow-up care programme, counselling may be utilised.
by expulsion > the client may be expelled from the programme in the event of > aggression or long-running coarse behaviour towards clients and staff of the Care Centre, > failure to announce or resolve a relapse of illegal drug use (current intoxication), > repeated and unaccounted absence from the therapeutic programme, > repeated and dangerous use of alcohol (according to the judgement of a Care Centre employee).