Narcotics Division has released the fifth three-year plan on drug treatment and rehabilitation services. It outlines strategic directions for delivering drug treatment and rehabilitation services from 2009 to 2011.

The plan consists of a number of major recommendations and key initiatives, such as:

* strengthening surveys and studies for a better understanding of the drug abuse problem;

* early identification of youth at risk and intervention, enhancement of downstream programmes in terms of capacity and sophistication;

* better collaboration between different sectors and modalities to ensure a continuum of services;

* resource realignment between services for heroin abusers and psychotropic substance abusers; and,

* better co-operation and synergy between treatment and rehabilitation and other prongs of the overall anti-drug strategy.

Voluntary drug test   

Commissioner for Narcotics Sally Wong said in view of the hidden nature of psychotropic substance abuse and the importance of early identification and intervention, the plan calls for the promotion of voluntary drug testing.

"A research study on the proposal for a school-based drug testing for voluntary adoption by schools is expected to be commissioned by the fourth quarter of 2009. Voluntary drug testing will also be provided in Counselling Centre for Psychotropic Substance Abusers as part and parcel of the enhanced medical support of these centres in the 2009-10 financial year," she said. 

With a rise in the number of psychotropic substance abusers, drug treatment agencies are encouraged to re-engineer their opiate-oriented treatment and rehabilitation programmes.

To ensure appropriate allocation of sources to meet the changing demand, a review on the resources spent on the methadone treatment programme targeting heroin abusers and subvention allocation to the Society for the Aid & Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers is recommended.

Resources allocation

Anticipating a rise in demand by psychotropic substance abusers, Ms Wong said the provision of treatment and rehabilitation service by the Counselling Centres for Psychotropic Substance Abusers, drug treatment and rehabilitation centres and Substance Abuse Clinics should be enhanced.

In the 2009-10 estimates a provision of $5.6 million has been included for providing medical support at Counselling Centres for Psychotropic Substance Abusers and launching a two-year pilot project to provide more a focused, structured and intensive probation service for young drug offenders.

"We will continue to monitor the changing demand closely to see what further efforts would need to be made," Ms Wong said.

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