Social rehabilitation and reintegration of drug addicts in

community – experience from EU

Dr. Josef Radimecký, Ph.D., MSc.UN International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit TraffickingJune, 26, 2013, Belgrade

April 21, 2023

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Structure of presentation

• Social integration

• Drug users with dependency entering drug treatment

• How to respond to their needs?

• Types of services of social reintegration and rehabilitation:

• Integrated within drug services

• Specific services for social reintegration and rehabilitation

Social reintegration (EMCDDA, 2012)

• “any social intervention with the aim of integrating former or current (problem) drug users into the community.

• 3 pillars of social reintegration: 1. housing

2. education

3. employment (incl. vocational training)

• + other measures: counseling, leisure activities…

• supportive measures to overcome personal and structural-level barriers to obtain employment & to increase personal employability – KEY”

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Treatment vs. reintegration

• Treatment & rehabilitation – emphasis on relationship between an individual and drug use

• Social reintegration – concerned with the position of the individual in wider society

• Being employed ≠ social reintegration!

• Non-work related spheres of life – equally important• supportive social network & relationships with significant others

(family, friends, colleagues)

• ability to lead a life that is free from stigma and discrimination

• well-being – self-realization of DAs

• Activities supporting social reintegration – should be integral to treatment

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Drug users entering drug treatment

EU level in 2011 (EMCDDA, 2013):• unemployed (47 %)

• 1 in 10 lacked stable accommodation (9 %)

• low educational attainment:

• 36 % completed only primary education

• 2 % not even achieving this level of education

• destroyed “health” relationships (family, friends non UD)

• commitment of property crime

• lack of social skills (communication, forms, letters - institutions, PC skills, CVs, application for jobs)

• debts (executions)

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Social reintegration vs. directives

• Aim of the EU drus action plan (2009-12):• “to significantly reduce the prevalence of drug use and

to reduce social and health damage caused by the use of and trade in illicit drugs.”

• Social reintegration contributes to achievement this aim

• It is included in the national drug strategies of 22 Member States

• UN – 1961 Single Convention, para 1, Article 38:• “The Parties shall give special attention to and take all

practicable measures for prevention of abuse of drugs and for early identification, treatment, education, after-care, rehabilitation and social reintegration of the person involved and shall co-ordinate there efforts…”

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Approaches to social reintegration

1. General vocational rehabilitation

2. Drug treatment

3. Criminal justice system

4. Housing support

5. Education and (vocational) training

6. Employment support

7. General policy

8. Advocacy (EMCDDA, 2013)

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When to start with social reintegration?

• Traditionally – social reintegration perceived as a phase that should start AFTER treatment, after being drug free.

• Recent evidence - social reintegration and drug treatment should be seen as integrative elements.• drug treatment alone can’t address the complex needs

of problem drug users.

• treatment alone – not sufficient to prevent social exclusion of marginalized individuals – many of which were already marginalized prior their use of drugs.

• without social reintegration interventions – serious danger that gains made during treatment will be lost.

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Types of interventions

• Development of social skills

• Counseling and help in seeking of jobs

• Help in searching of housing

• Debts counseling

• Case management – coordination of use of external (social and health) services

• Legal counseling

• Help with transport to treatment facilities

• Counseling and support in family/partners’/home violence and/or abuse

• Sheltered housing & half-way houses

• Sheltered working places

• Care for children of clients/ stay in treatment programmes

• Self-help groups

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It’s your turn…!

When to start with social

reintegration interventions

and who should deliver them?

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When? Drug service Specialized service

Prior treatment (e.g. HR)

Within treatment

After treatment

Summary

• Social reintegration

• any intervention aiming to integrate former/current drug users into society

• an array of health/social interventions delivered on basis of in depth assessment of individual situation and needs of client

• It should be an integral part of all types of drug services: HR – treatment – after-care

• When drug service not able to deliver specific interventions – to assure them for clients in other social services in region (case management)

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Thank you!

• for you attention

• & for discussion

Contact: Josef Radimecky

Clinic of Addictology

Ke Karlovu 11

128 00 Prague 2

Czech Republic

www.addictology.org

radimecky@adiktologie.cz

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