Drug treatment programs not comprehensive - Colombo Plan Secy General

Sarath Malalasekera

The Colombo Plan Secretariat has organized several meetings on Development of handbook on Client and Family Education in Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation.

The first meeting was held on August 15, at the Colombo Hilton.

Over the past 36 years, the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program (CPDAP), established in 1973, has been addressing the ever mounting drug related issues in the Asia Pacific region. Many drug treatment programs being implemented in the region are not comprehensive in their approach, particularly, in the field of Client and Family Education, which is often inadequate, said Colombo Plan Secretariat Secretary General Particia Yoon Moi Chia.

She emphasised that to meet this need, the CPDAP is publishing a handbook on Client and family Education in Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation as an important component in drug treatment.

Preparations for this document was done through the CPDAP meeting in Colombo.

By utilising the skills, knowledge and experience of a pool of regional experts engaged in drug treatment, the CPDAP had organised the meeting to develop the first handbook in the region on Client and Family Education in Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation. This handbook is aimed at aiding counsellors in conducting education sessions to their clients and co-dependents during recovery, re-entry and aftercare phases, the Secretary General said.

The handbook will cover domains such as process of addiction, relapse prevention, recovery process, theoretical based approach, spirituality and family.

While the handbook will guide counsellors on “how to” conduct education sessions, it will also highlight early warning signs of relapse, importance of life skills and the significance of spirituality and family in achieving full recovery.