UNODC Enhanced Capacity of Addiction Professionals of Central Asia on Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders 

UNODC-supported an eight-day training for trainers (ToT) for some 16 addiction professionals from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC training package) on 10-18 March in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

 

The training focused on two courses of the Advanced Level UTC training package: Course 13 – “Contingency Management: A Reinforcement Based Treatment” and “Course 18 – “Clinical Supervision”. Mr. Borikhan Shaumarov, Senior Programme Officer of UNODC ROCA explains that “Contingency Management has been recommended as one such important approach that can be used to strengthen the services being offered to the persons who use drugs and their care givers. Additionally, addiction professionals, service providers and administrators shall also benefit immensely from the introduction of clinical supervision in the treatment centers. The trainees from this workshop are expected to contribute to the capacity building initiatives across the Central Asia as national and regional trainers”.

“As we continue to strengthen our efforts to make our communities and populations safer from the adverse consequences associated with drug use, it is imperative to invest in evidence-based interventions that are effective, and socio-culturally acceptable”, Mr.  Shaumarov concluded.

Two UTC Global Master Trainers Mr. Yatan Pal Singh Balhara and Mr. Francis Moothedan Rafel led national professionals though the theoretical foundations of contingency management and existing contingency management interventions to develop the skills to apply them in the treatment of substance use disorders during the first three days of the training.

The remaining five days were focused on clinical supervision issues. The participants enhanced the skills that clinical supervisors need to positively impact the professional development of addiction professionals and treatment programs for the treatment of substance use disorders. 

“I am very glad for the opportunity to participate in the training on Course 13 “Contingency Management: A Reinforcement Based Treatment”. The knowledge and skills received during this training are very useful and adaptable to our working conditions. I am confident that my colleagues with whom I will share the learnt skills will also find them very helpful. The second training “Course 18 – “Clinical Supervision” was a bit challenging for me because there were a lot of moments when the self-evaluation and being honest with yourself were required. During the training we identified on which supervision level we are and learnt the ways how we can upgrade it. There is a lot of work to do in this sphere, however this training served as a good starting point,” said Psychologist of Department No. 3 of Republican Center for Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The training was organized within the framework of UNODC global project GLOJ71 “Treating drug dependence and its health consequences: Treatnet” in collaboration with Sub-programme 3: Addressing drug problems, increasing treatment of drug use disorders and preventing HIV/AIDS” of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia for 2022-2025 and Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, UNODC HQ with financial support from U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Story in Russian language 

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For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko

Communication and PR Specialist

UNODC Criminal Justice Programme for Central Asia

UNODC Programme office in the Kyrgyz Republic

+996775987817 WhatsApp

Vasilina.brazhko [at]un.org