We are excited to announce that SUSEP has secured an additional year of funding from Health Canada!
SUSEP is an innovative program that provides wrap-around substance use services in the context of employment to people in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Program participants are supported to set goals about employment and substance use from a harm reduction perspective.
In the past year, SUSEP’s evaluation team has learned that there is a statistically significant correlation between program participants meeting their employment goals and reduced substance use risk. There is also a significant correlation between meeting employment goals and improved physical and mental health. These findings are promising in proving that SUSEP’s model of integrated substance use and employment support works to improve the lives of participants.
The purpose of SUSEP is to help people reach their goals around substance use and employment. SUSEP helps participants manage substance use while working or becoming employed. This happens through individual counselling, appointment accompaniment for addictions medicine, goal setting support, peer groups, individual peer support, outreach work, employment assistance, and skills and capacity building. The process is entirely participant-led, meaning that people come in with an idea of what they want to achieve, and we help them do that.
SUSEP has worked with over 119 participants and counting. Most participants meet one or more of their goals within the first month of working with SUSEP. SUSEP offers a weekly peer-led group to support individuals in their journey with substance use and employment.
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