Who are we?

  • We are a charity with funding from Sheffield City Council, the Health Service and the Probation Service
  • We have paid and voluntary counsellors all of whom are qualified in counselling and trained in working with people with alcohol problems
  • We are not a statutory service and attendance here is voluntary

How can SAAS help and support me?

We can offer you a range of free services:

  • Information, advice and counselling for those with a drinking problem
  • Support for those concerned about the drinking of someone close to them
  • Support for people who want to stay stopped - relapse prevention 
  • A telephone service Mon - Fri, to take your enquiries, arrange counselling, and give information and advice 
  • Evening or Day appointments
  • Counselling for Couples
  • Information leaflets 
  • A counselling service at other locations such as Upperthorpe, Parsons Cross, Manor or Pitsmoor
  • A 'Specialist Alcohol Worker' who counsels people in contact with the Probation Service because of drink related offending
  • A residential 'dry' house (see our separate leaflet about this)

Who can use the SAAS service?

Any member of the public who sees their drinking behaviour as a problem or anyone close to a person with a drinking problem

Why should seeing a Counsellor make any difference?

  • It is a chance to resolve your difficulties with alcohol and make changes 
  • You will be offered practical ways to help you do this. We offer cognitive behavioural counselling, which has benefited many alcohol users together with other forms of therapy 
  • You will be seen individually for a 50 minute session
  • Our clients say that it helps to talk to someone who is outside their families and friends
  • You can be open and honest because the service is confidential (with a few exceptions see below)
  • Our counsellors are trained especially in alcohol problems 

We have learnt a lot from being with our clients about what may or may not work for people

Will you tell me to stop drinking ?

No. You and your counsellor will work together to decide your goals

How long will it take?

Each session is 50 minutes, weekly. People need between 6 weeks and several months of counselling some times, to make the changes they want to make. Some people return to us later if they have not maintained their goals.

What sort of information and advice can you give me?

We can offer information and advice on health issues, detoxing, gradually reducing the amount you drink, maintaining changes to your drinking etc. Also, advice on how to support a friend or relative who has a drink problem.

How do I contact SAAS?

By telephone, through a GP, a counsellor, a health or social worker etc.

Who will you tell about me?

  • Our service is confidential. 
  • You may want us to pass on information to others, which you could ask us to do. 
  • We are sometimes obliged to pass on information if there is a risk of serious harm to someone else. In most cases we would discuss this with you first.
  • Your case notes and records are stored under lock and key. We collect statistics for our funders, but these are anonymous and we are subject to the Data Protection Act 1984.
  • Please ask to see our confidentiality policy.

What happens when I first contact SAAS?

  • You will be offered a one-off Duty appointment, to take place within 2 weeks, at which you can outline your needs and decide if this is the right service for you
  • You will then be on our waiting list and be offered a series of counselling sessions when a counsellor has a vacancy

What are my rights and my responsibilities?

  • You have a right to confidentiality in line with SAAS policies and current legislation
  • You have a right to information about the service
  • You have a right to see you records
  • You have a right to be fully involved in your care
  • You have the right to complain or offer comments about the service
  • You have a right to be treated equally with other whatever your mental health, disability, race, age, sex, sexual orientation
  • You have the right to have sight of our policies on all the above issues
  • You have the right to be seen by a counsellor of your own gender if possible.

Your responsibility is to

  • Arrive without being intoxicated
  • Let us know if you can not attend
  • Let us know if you can not attend a duty appointment - this can then be given to someone else who is likely to be impatient for an appointment
  • To treat everyone with respect

We reserve the right to ask people to leave the building or to seek medical assistance should someone be at risk of harm in the building. We would do this with dignity and would attempt to discuss this with you first.

Web site created by Tina Bell
as part of the Sheffield Community Information project