Program Activity

A. Outreach activities in the community among young vulnerable population:
Outreach workers try to find people who need help or support rather than waiting for those people to come and ask for help. It is an activity of providing services to any populations who might not otherwise have access to the services. The agency should aim in setting up a static service point known as ODIC in the most common populated drug use sites situated among drug users in the community where drug users can freely access the centre.

B. Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) one to one and group sessions in the community by outreach workers:
The Outreach Worker would help and assist the ODIC in-charge on a day to day basis and ensure that all activities of the ODIC are conducted as per the schedule and plan. The outreach worker would go to the community and interact with the drug users individually or as a group to help the drug users to identify their own problems and needs, understand what solutions can be used to address their problems with their own resources combined with outside support. Most importantly an outreach worker would motivate and encourage the drug users to visit ODIC.

C. Screening and assessment of clients on substance use disorder at ODIC:
Assessment and diagnosis of the drug users would be carried out by the doctor, nurse or counsellor of the ODIC. An assessment would be conducted on basic medical history, information on the type of drug, mode and patterns of use, abstinence attempts in the past, help or treatment sought earlier and history of exposure to contaminated blood and other risk behaviours

D. Drop-in-Centre facility for people vulnerable/dependent on drug use:
Among drug users who are also injecting drugs, there is a high incidence of abscesses, wounds, cellulites, vein collapse, that result in physical discomfort or pain often affecting normal duties and chores. Drug overdoses can arise and these can be fatal. Such centres will cater to the needs of drug users and serve as a critical point to initiate risk reduction. The ODIC would provide facility like recreation room, counselling room and medical room. It will also provide outpatient treatment services for drug use related issues such as abscess and wound management, drug overdose management, psychiatric treatment support, as well as issues of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C. Harm reduction services and messages will be provided to drug users who do not have the capacity to cease their drug use with immediate effect in their life. The aim of harm reduction is to keep drug users alive, healthy and productive until treatment works or they grow out of their drug use.

E. Individual, group and family counselling:
The ODIC would provide counselling service to the drug users individually and as a group. The counselling session would be taken up by a trained counsellor on a daily basis where he/she would help and assist the drug users to retrospect what was the reason and cause behind the intake of drugs by the drug users and give awareness on the negative impact the drugs can cause to the drug users. The drug users would be involved in group discussion where various issues pertaining to drugs and other related issues and information will be discussed. The counsellor would also give counselling to the family of the drug user because family play a vital role in avoiding their children in taking drugs.

F. Provision of consultation with doctor for referral and linkage with treatment facility:
Upon visit to the ODIC by the drug users, the drug users would be introduced to the various services offered in the ODIC. Then, the staff of the ODIC would make an assessment of the client regarding the basic medical history, information on the type of drugs, mode and pattern of use, abstinence in the past, history of exposure to contaminated blood and other risk behaviours. Based on the assessment, the drug users would be referred to various services like HIV related issues, TB centre, shelter home, absence prevention, detoxification-cum-rehabilitation centre etc.

G. Safe and secure space for drug dependent youth accessible, in the community:
The ODIC would have a recreation room which would be the main entry room and the biggest of all the other rooms in the centre, a separate counselling room, and a medical room.

H. Complimentary therapies including art, music, dance and yoga for early recovery/Life Skills Program:
The organization would involve the client practically using Life Skills as a tool to help the drug users to recover faster. The organization believes that involving and doing physical activity would have an impact on the drug users rather than making them sit and listen. The organization would focus on the impact it can give to the drug users on holistic development be it in literacy, coping skill, behavioural change, adaptive behaviour etc.

I. Vocational training of the Drug Users:
Drug users during the course of the treatment will have the option of linking with vocational training, so that post treatment they could seek a job to sustain themselves.

J. Follow up care including family counselling:
With the objective to make the best possible intervention among the drug users, the drug user would be assessed post their recovery from the centre. Follow up on a weekly/monthly basis would be adopted by the organization. The staff of the organization would keep regular in touch with the drug user parents and family counselling would be given/provided even at the centre and also at home during the house visit by the team of the organization. The organization aims to update and keep on track about the status of those drug users who are released from the centre.