ISBN 0 7559 4957 9
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WHAT IS TAS?
TAS is a service for prisoners with drug or alcohol problems.
If you have drug or alcohol problems, then TAS can help. TAS will make sure that the help you get in prison keeps going when you get out into the community. TAS will link you to services in the community that can help you deal with your problems.
It can be hard to find a way out of drug taking or drinking too much. These problems can lead people into crime and even back into prison but TAS is there to help you.
TAS can help you deal with problems, such as:
- Drugs and alcohol
- Housing
- Money
- Family/Relationships
- Health
- Work
- Offending
HOW WILL TAS HELP?
You will be able to discuss your problems with staff when you first come into prison.
If you want help, prison staff will arrange a meeting for you with the TAS worker for your local area, prior to your release.
HOW OFTEN WILL I SEE MY TAS WORKER?
The TAS worker will get in touch with you in the 6 weeks before your release from prison.
You can talk to your TAS worker and prison staff about the help you might need on release and agree an Action Plan. The Action Plan is a way of keeping everybody right. For example, it could say that your TAS worker will arrange addiction counselling for you in the community or that they will accompany you to a meeting at the Job Centre.
You will normally have 3 meetings with your TAS worker before you leave prison. After release, you will be offered weekly appointments for a period of 6 weeks.
WHO RUNS TAS?
TAS is run by local authority social work throughcare teams. TAS can be provided directly by them or, in certain cases, by their addiction services or by a voluntary organisation.
If you want help with your drug or alcohol problems, TAS is there to assist you.
TAS can also help you with other problems.
TAS will help link you to appropriate services in your local area.
WHERE IS MY LOCAL TAS?
This document is also available on the Scottish Executive website: www.scotland.gov.uk