Project title

Main goal of the project is to establish service network for IDU's and expand the services in Telšiai region.

Project objectives:

• To train different organization (medical institution, pharmacies, education institutions, children rights service, police, lodging house, job centre, etc.) personnel for work with IDUs.
• To initiate interdepartmental cooperation.
• To attract new IDUs released from the imprisonment settings to pharmacotherapy.
• To strengthen IDU's self help group.
• To assess pharmacotherapy effectiveness.

During the project implementation the following activities were carried out:

Trainings for staff from medical and other institutions. Conducted 2 two-day seminars "Voluntary testing and counselling" and "Organization of complex support for people with dependencies". In total 132 individuals participated in the trainings. Additionally 2 intervision sessions for Mažeikiai, Šiauliai, Telšiai and Šilutė mental health centres' personnel took place.

Involvement of new drug users in Methadone programme, especially those who returned from the imprisonment settings. Currently there are 9 individuals in treatment: 2 have permanent jobs, 3 - temporary positions, 3 individuals have disabilities, 1 person is looking for a job.

Strengthening the IDUs self-help group. Established and registered NGO "Gyvenimo metamorfozė". Premises were adjusted to the group activities. Information leaflet on pharmacotherapy with methadone and support provided in Telšiai was published.  Strengthening inter-institutional cooperation, methadone programme participants Egidijus, Rolandas and Robertas participated in the seminars and gave presentations on "My life with and without drugs", "Why is it hard to stop using drugs. My unsuccessful experience", "What methadone gave to me". 7 methadone programme participants passed computer literacy courses and received certificates.

Group psycho-correctional workshops with the members of the self-help group. Regular (once a week) workshops with programme participants are taking place, as well are available individual psychologist's consultations.

Pharmacotherapy with methadone effectiveness assessment. Assessed 22 Addiction Severity Indexes.

Programme promotion in local media.

Main indicators:

• Developed service network for injecting drug users (IDUs);
• IDUs self help group NGO "Gyvenimo metamorfozė" was officially registered;
• Number of organizations providing qualitative services for IDUs in Telšiai region - 8;
• Number of individuals trained to work with IDUs - 132;
• Number of new IDUs (who returned from the imprisonment settings in 2008-2009) in pharmacotherapy programme - 9;
• Number of group therapies - 44;
• Number of IDUs who passed computer literacy courses - 7;
• Number of published and distributed leaflets - 300;
• Number of individuals who's Addiction Severity Index was assessed - 22;
• Number IDUs group members presentations for specialists from Telšiai region - 10;
• Other.

UNODC budget