A Substance Abuse Community Based Education, Prevention and Treatment Centre
Our Mission
Committed to providing a crisis intervention, community-based prevention, treatment and rehabilitation service to persons experiencing substance abuse and related problems regardless of culture, ethnic origin, religion, age,
sexual preference, disability or social status.
Our Vision
Our vision is a client- centric view. Whether it be a Child, Young Person or Adult, our focus is to provide a comprehensive service of quality, and the continuous improvement of the client experience during the period when he/she is in contact with the many activities at CASA.
Our Values
- To provide an effective and confidential service with a focus on Education, Prevention, Treatment, Habilitation, Rehabilitation and Aftercare
- To help individuals and families experiencing problems and to assist groups and organizations in under- standing and tackling substance abuse problems in homes and communities
- To participate in initiatives with other treatment centres and the NCSA to address demand reduction efforts in Prevention, Treatment, Rehabilitation and Research as set out in the Barbados National Anti-Drug Plan
CASA initially started as a drop-in centre operating in the evening from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm from an office in an area in Bridgetown
What is C.A.S.A?
The Centre for Counselling Addiction Support Alternatives (CASA) is a community based non-governmental registered (Charity No. 449) organization, with the stated aim of providing services for individuals and families who are experiencing Substance Abuse and related problems on a non-residential basis.
CASA initially started as a drop-in centre operating in the evening from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm from an office in an area in Bridgetown. In 2003 as a result of the need for more space to cater to the needs of clients the service was relocated to the Corner of St. Leonard’s Avenue and Westbury Road in the parish of St. Michael which provided easier access. The new location also afforded more spacious accommodation encompassing reception area, a counselling room, a group room, offices a kitchenette and bathroom facilities for both male and female. The cost for renting this facility is $30,000 annually, which is a significant dent in the centres ability to be financially viable.
The service has been targeted to meet the needs of specific client groups namely,
- Edit Adolescents and young persons particularly those still at school who attend for counselling after school and for programmes at the weekend
- Women – to assist women in our communities for whom they are residential services and particularly for those women who are at home during the day caring for children
- Persons in work who attend counselling after work or who can be released during work hours to attend sessions
- Persons with disabilities who find difficulty in accessing drug treatment services
- Persons leaving prison who may need support in an effort to re-integrate after being incarcerated
- Persons who are unwilling to enter a residential facility but meet the criteria for our patient treatment
Strategic Plan / Objectives
- To assist drug demand reduction efforts by providing services ranging from referral, assessment, education, crisis counselling and prevention, to treatment and rehabilitation for persons with substance abuse problems.
- To provide brief (short term) non-residential counselling/treatment for persons assessed as having mild to moderate substance abuse problem.
- To provide educational awareness of substance use and abuse and its impact, to persons in school, families and communities.
- To network with other NGO’s and Governmental agencies to ensure appropriate matching and referral of clients in need of help.
- To secure the necessary and adequate funding for recruitment and the effective implementation of programmes.
- To acquire a facility which is less financially burdensome.
- To establish a short term residential facility for adolescents providing medical detoxification and brief residential therapy.
- To provide a service to meet international accredited standards.
Join Our Programmes​
The closure of the residential drug programme at the psychiatric has served to increase the number of persons referred to CASA who would otherwise be treated at the hospital. This in turn has served to not only increase the workload at CASA but added an additional dimension in working with persons with a dual diagnosis i.e. Drug addiction in conjunction with mental health problems.
