Shay
Louise House has been operating with assistance from the
former ‘South Australian Minister for Health’, The Hon
Mr. Dean Brown. Mr. Brown and a number of
departments within his portfolio, specifically ‘Special
Needs Housing Unit’ have given us tremendous support and
practical assistance.
The
house is dedicated to the memory of Shay Louise
Bressington who died on 27th August 1998 a heroin
addict, aged 22 years. Her mother Ann Bressington -
Founder and Administrator, along with other parents have
devoted 9 years to research, lobbying, and developing a
treatment and rehabilitation program that brings back
the humanity to the area of healing addicts. Just a
handful of people, with a common goal and with a common
problem sought solutions – and found them.
Shay
Bressington began her drug use, like so many others at
the age of 13 years with experimentation of marijuana.
She admitted later, after the warnings, that she quickly
became dependent on marijuana. In a very short time her
relationship with her mother had changed dramatically,
and there was no longer a happy and loving relationship.
Shay grew apart from her brothers as well and by the
time she was 15 she had experimented with LSD, speed and
ecstasy. By the age of 16 years she left home to live
with her boyfriend of 2 years. There was a period of
time, after long discussions with her family that her
boyfriend and her did not use any other drugs, but
continued to smoke dope. They believed it was harmless
and the least of their worries. She got a good job and
bought her first car. Her boyfriend stopped using drugs,
but sadly Shay began using other drugs again regularly
at the age of 18 years and by the time she reached her
19th birthday was a heroin addict. She died 2 days away
from coming to Adelaide for treatment.
Her
mother hopes that those who come through the program and
their parents understand the gift that she has given
them. Through her death a whole new approach to
treatment and rehabilitation has been developed that
works. She has inspired many to bring about change and
that is the basis on which the program is run.
Those
who come to us are our first concern - the clients and
their families. We have watched and listened while
clients have come to us from many other programs.
Clients who have come to believe that change for them is
not possible. Change depends of the knowledge you have,
not on the fact that you have used drugs. We give you
the knowledge - it’s up to you if you use it or not.
Operating out of Shay Louise House are the following
programs:
-
DrugBeat of South Australia Program
-
PETER Program
-
DETER Program
-
Personal Development Program
-
Inner Child Personal Development Program
-
Inner Child Workshop
