Rough sleepers in Shropshire offered drug and alcohol treatment

The scheme aims to reduce drug-related deaths among rough sleepers

Reset, a new drug and alcohol treatment support service aimed at helping rough sleepers, has been launched.

The service, available across Shropshire, will offer domestic abuse support, adult social care, housing support and mental health help.

The county council is working with other agencies to offer the service.

It aims to help reduce drug-related deaths, alcohol-related hospital admissions, it said.

Staff will work alongside colleagues in housing services so those currently rough sleeping are ready to take accommodation.

The council was awarded £1.4m for the programme which means the charity With You can expand its work.

It was one of 20 areas to benefit from the government funding.

Graham McGaw, from the charity, said the scheme would be an "innovative" approach to support rough sleepers.

"We are very excited that we can make the difference because we are working as a partnership in a way that will mean rough sleepers get real wrap-around and holistic support," he said.

"We will work with anybody who want to make changes in terms of their drug or alcohol use, and we have the key people around the table to make that happen," he added.