FAQ


We offer programs to assist with drinking, drug use, problem gambling, behavioural addictions,concurrent disorders (a combination of addiction and mental health concerns) and youth community justice issues. Our services are available to clients of any age, as well as, family members affected by someone else’s addictions issues.
Yes. ADAPT encourages family members to seek services. We have programs for family members who are concerned about someone else’s drinking, drug use and/or gambling. The person they are concerned about does NOT have to be an ADAPT client for a family member(s) to access services.
ADAPT also offers special services to parents concerned about a child’s drinking, drug use or gambling.
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you can benefit from the services ADAPT has to offer. Since 1975 ADAPT has been providing assistance to all kinds of people –from those with general questions about alcohol, drugs (including prescription medication), and gambling – to those requiring more individualized care and support. ADAPT caters to clients of every age and background and has programs for adults, youth, family members, and parents.
No. All ADAPT counselling services* are provided at no cost to the client. ADAPT receives funding from a variety of government ministries and from the United Way.
Yes. Confidentiality is guaranteed to all ADAPT clients under Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). Counsellors will share detailed information about a client’s rights to confidentiality upon his/her first visit to ADAPT. For more information on PHIPA, please see the information in the ‘About ADAPT’ dropdowns of this web site.
People can refer themselves to ADAPT with a single phone call to our intake worker Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Prior to attending any out-patient service, you are asked to not use alcohol or drugs for a minimum period of 24 hours (excluding prescribed use of prescription drugs). This is to ensure safety for yourself and the community, as ADAPT wants to ensure that clients are not impaired when travelling to appointments.
ADAPT promotes a healthy environment for all of our clients and staff. If you are feeling unwell on the day of your appointment, we ask that you contact your counsellor and remain at home. If you appear visibly sick on the day of your appointment, counsellors have been instructed to cancel your appointment for that day. In all cases of illness, alternate arrangements will be made to see you as soon as you are feeling better.
Appointments are typically for the client(s) and counsellor only. You may have someone accompany you to your appointment, however, they may be asked to wait in our waiting room unless the client and counsellor have agreed to include another person in the treatment plan.
*Children under age 16 may not be left unattended in the waiting room, and it is generally not appropriate for them to come into meetings with a parent.
Certain ADAPT programs provide outreach services and these counsellors can meet clients at their homes or at a safe community location (i.e. Halton Homes Program, Geriatric Outreach Partnership). In almost all cases however, clients come to their local ADAPT office for individual and group services.
ADAPT has several offices to ensure local accessibility to all clients.
ADAPT provides a variety of services and choices to our clients. Each individual works with the counsellor to develop a treatment plan that best meets his/her personal needs and goals. Services include options on a continuum of harm reduction, including abstinence.
Yes. ADAPT welcomes returning clients. It is common for people to use our services on more than one occasion. We encourage anyone who is interested in making healthy changes to use our services as often as needed.
ADAPT’s regular business hours are 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m., Monday to Friday. For information about evening and weekend hours, please see the next question.
All first appointments must be booked during ADAPT’s regular business hours of 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m., Monday through Friday. Once a client knows his/her counsellor, he/she may request an evening appointment. Also, many ADAPT groups meet on weekday evenings to accommodate clients with day jobs.
ADAPT does not have regular weekend hours with the exception of the Back On Track remedial measures program for impaired drivers. On occasion these courses may run on a Saturday.
No. ADAPT assists each client by completing a thorough personal assessment. This must be completed during an assessment appointment with an ADAPT counsellor. The ADAPT website has links to other sites that provide a range of information on addictions and recovery that may provide you with more insight.
Wait lists vary depending on program, location and service demands. ADAPT is committed to making all of our services as accessible as possible. The agency constantly reviews all wait lists, and ensures that clients move to the earliest available appointment.
All ADAPT offices have resource racks with information on a range of other community supports, including local 12-step and drop-in meetings. You can also visit these websites for information and support: