Accredited Education Symposium on Substance Use and Treatment in South East Asia
During 17th- 20th November 2008, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre hosted the first multi-country accredited education symposium on substance use and treatment in South East Asia for peers in the management and delivery of alcohol and other drugs trainings for workforce development. This symposium was part of the ‘Building and sustaining training capacity for an alcohol and other drugs workforces in South East Asia’ project funded by AusAID Illicit Drugs Initiative (IDI).
Attending delegates included representatives from country narcotic boards, drug treatment centres, United Nations on Drugs and Crime (Viet Nam Office) and Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Medicine. During the four days, representatives from, Australia, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Thailand and Vietnam presented on drug trends and key issues pertaining to the training needs identified from training needs analysis undertaken in each country. This information provided the basis for comparing the history and current challenges in implementing national and regional accredited training.
Background
The project rationale for the AusAID funded ‘Building and sustaining training capacity for an alcohol and other drugs workforces in South East Asia’ during year 2006-2008, is against a background of harsh criminalization of illicit drug use in most South East Asian countries, national and regional policies which configure illicit drug use almost solely as a matter for law enforcement and public security, most problematic illicit drug users are dealt with by criminal justice and the correctional system. However, there is a burgeoning drug treatment sector adopting other methods for dealing with such people in many South East Asian countries. There is little available indigenous training for any workers in either the former system or the growing drug treatment system – almost all members of the workforces involved, through criminal justice or through health, have received no formal training in alcohol and other drugs treatment.
There is also very little recognition of alcohol as a significant public and personal health issue in most South East Asian countries; nor is their recognition of or ability to address mental health issues where these underlie or compound drug and alcohol problems. With the growth of alternative approaches (besides incarceration) to problematic drug use, there is an urgent need in the region to build indigenous capacity for training of this growing workforce. This builds on the need that has existed for decades, of training workers in criminal justice in how to deal with drug and alcohol issues.
The Illicit Drugs Initiative (IDI) AusAID Asia Transboundary project aims to build workforce capacity through the development of accredited drug treatment-training courses in the partner countries including of Burma, Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. Increased workforce capacity will contribute to the provision of more effective drug treatment in the region. The course aims to improve the effectiveness and quality of services by ensuring that drug treatment is centred on evidenced based practice and provided by experienced and appropriately qualified staff. Improved treatment outcomes will have a direct effect on the IDI goal of strengthening regional responses to the developmental impacts of illicit drugs.
View the Symposium Program (pdf)
Country Presentations
Visit to Turning Point Access Point-methamphetamine clinic and Clinical Services
For more details contact:
Wendy Dodd
RTO Program Manager
Tel: +61 3 8413 8703
Presentation for Rationale for Workforce Development
Ms Wendy Dodd
Project Manager, Capacity Building Project, Turning Point Alcohol and Drugs Centre
Presentation for Corrections Victoria Drugs Policy
Ms Maria Papadontas
Manager, Drugs Policy Project Development, Corrections Victoria
Presentation for Training Needs Analysis in Cambodia
Dr. Thong Sokunthea, Country Consultant and Deputy Director
Legislation, Education and Rehabilitation Department, National Authority for Combating Drug (NACD)
Presentation for Training Needs Analysis in Lao PDR
Dr. Sisouphan Boupha, Director of Centre, Somsanga Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre
Presentation was translated into English by
Apinun Aramrattana, MD., PhD, Director of Northern Substance Abuse Centre, Chiang Mai University
Presentation for Training Needs Analysis in Vietnam
Mr. Tran Viet Trung, Deputy Director for Department of Social Evils for Prevention
Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs
Presentation was translated into English by Mr. Vi Cuoung Tran
International Project Coordinator AD/VIE/H68 Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations
Lessons Learned from UNODC Vietnam, H68’s Staff Capacity Training by Mr. Vi Cuoung Tran
International Project Coordinator AD/VIE/H68 Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations
Presentation for Training Needs Analysis in Thailand
Apinun Aramrattana, MD., PhD, Director of Northern Substance Abuse Centre, Chiang Mai University
Development of the first draft for AOD course
Pilot Training, Quality Control for Accredited Courses
Development of Education Service Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University
Apinun Aramrattana, MD., PhD, Director of Northern Substance Abuse Centre, Chiang Mai University
Healesville Sanctuary
Closing remarks by Mr Trevor King, Deputy Director of Turning Point Alcohol and Drugs Centre
Gift giving by Dr Sysouphan Bouppha, Director of Somsanga Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, Lao PDR
Group picture at last day of Education Symposium
