Substance Abuse Counseling

TMSC’s counseling staff frequently finds links between homelessness and substance abuse. The staff strives to reinforce the client’s ability to work through life’s terms — negative and positive — on a daily basis recognizing that substance abuse, of any kind, is not an effective resolution.

During the initial program intake process, each client is required to provide a history of any substance use and a urine sample. The result of the test, received within 24 hours, determines the counseling path the client then follows.

1. Clients whose test results are negative learn about the harmful effects of substance abuse. They are tested at random during the rest of their time in the program.
2. Clients whose test results are positive for any substance are referred to an outside individual counseling program. Weekly in-house counseling addresses substance abuse related issues.