Ontario expands addiction treatment services for social assistance clients.

The Addiction Services Initiative for people on social assistance is being expanded. The aim is to help people whose substance abuse makes it difficult for them to become or stay employed. It is one of a number of employment assistance programs. Participants can be referred to the program by their Ontario Works Caseworker but no one is required to sign up for it. The majority of people who have entered the ASI program have volunteered to participate.

The program currently operates in Algoma, Parry Sound, Prince Edward. Lennox and Addington, Thunder Bay, Brantford, Muskoka, Peterborough, Sault Ste. Marie and Stratford. The government is now expanding the initiative in: Peel, London, Ottawa, Wellington-Dufferin and Chatham-Kent. These new sites recently began referring people to the ASI.

Each Ontario Works office running the ASI has specialized staff who have been trained to recognize the signs of an addiction and to work with people who have an addiction. They provide screening interviews, case management and referrals to assessment to help participants overcome personal barriers. Assessment and treatment services are provided by health professionals at community-based addiction treatment agencies, funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.