Early Intervention for Young Drug Users

Project Partners Cyprus Anti Drug Council

Cyprus PoliceMinistry of Health

With the support of the Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus

The FreD goes net……..

FreD goes net is the transfer to Europe and continued development of the German Federal pilot project “FreD” – Early intervention for First time noticed Young Drug Users.

The project has 19 partners from 17 European countries, members of European Union. They are defined as either “pilot” or “associated partners”, depending on their degree of involvement and implementation.

From FreD to FreD goes net….. FreD was developed in Germany in the late 1990s.

General aim to tackle the growing incidence of drug consumption in youngsters and reducing drug addiction in the future.

Parameters Young offenders – high risk population. Youngsters’ denial to accept help. Failure of the national system to support this problematic

population.

The intervention……

Selective Prevention Program

The project aims on providing adolescents, who have been noticed for the first time in connection with their problematic use of addictive substances (especially by the police, but also at school or on the job), with early intervention measures in order to protect them from sliding into a dependency.

Knowlege effects & riskslegal aspects

Reflection own consumption patterns and reasons

Practical limit or quit advices consumption

i n t e r v e n t i o n` s c o u r s e of a c t i o n

Use or/and possesion of illegal drugs or alcohol

Justice

school

workplace

Intake:individual-

conversation

course as group offer

1 / 2 / 3 / 41 / 2 / 3

1 / 2

Certificate

Referral to Other therapeutic

program if needed

Getting to knoweach other

Info about the course

Course proper offer?

Motivation

8 hours.

referral

Objectives of the course...... to broaden their knowledge about drugs and the

consequences to incite reflection on their own use to encourage self awareness and awareness

through others, risk assessment and self responsibility

(in cases) to trigger changes in attitude and behaviour towards drug consumption

to gain knowledge of operating services in the national drug therapeutic system

The evaluation of the program in Germany (2000-2004)….. Acceptance of the program

78.3% completed the program 94% believe the program was helpful 73% recommended the program to others

Consumption behavior 67% changed their attitude of personal drug

consumption 51% stop using illegal drugs Only 5% re-offended

The implementation in Cyprus…..

FreD goes net grew from the interest expressed by various European countries for the transfer of the successfully evaluated German FreD project.

National Coordination Cyprus Anti Drug Council

Co-operation Partners Cyprus Police ( Drug Law Enforcement Unit)

All over Cyprus Ministry of Health ( Mental Health Services)

“PERSEAS” ( Nicosia, Larnaka and Famagusta) “PROMITHEAS” ( Limassol and Paphos)

Implementation period November 2007 – October 2010

36 months

RAR research in the countries

"Train the Trainers" (training of regional trainers)

Eval

u atio

n ofth

e pi

lot c

our s

es

Adjustment of the Manual

Final European Conference with Evaluation Workshop

Workshop I(evaluation of results)

Workshop IIadjusting the Manual

Workshop III

Presentation of results

(all partners)

Starting Conference „Kick-Off“

FreD goes netSchedule

35.

33. – 34.

32.

31.

13. – 26.

5. – 9.

2 4

m

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12 m

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Prep

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Transfer WorkshopTraining(North)

Transfer WorkshopTraining(South)

1.

Org

aniz

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Trai

n th

eTrai

ner

11.

9.

2. – 5.

5.

Writing the Manual (draft)

Warsaw (PL) 3 days - all -

Luxembourg(LU)

4 days

- all -

Reikjavik (IS)3 days

- only pilots -

Linz (AUT)6 days

- only pilots -

Maribor (SI)5 days

- all -

N.N.3 days

N.N.3 days

Münster (D)2 days Final Conference

2 days Evaluation WS

- all -

PilotAT

PilotIE

PilotBE

PilotIS

Pilot LV

PilotD

Pilot PL

Pilot SI

Pilot RO

PilotSE

PilotCY

Project timetable……

Project´s course of action in Cyprus

keep in touch with

cooperationpartners& steering group

analysis of the situation and the needs (RAR)

buildup of cooperation-structuresarrangement of a steering group

1

conducting courses

9

Transfer in one´s own country

Cooperation Agreement between A.D.C, D.L.E.U and M.H.S…… Target group Legal framework Access path through the police Certificate of Participation Data protection Competence and communication channels

Target group…..

The program “FreD goes net” in Cyprus

specifically address teenagers and youths age 14 to 24 only, who come to the notice of the police as a consequence of use or possession of illegal substances.

The legal framework…..

The pilot phase of the project is carried out on the basis of the following conditions (DLEU):

The offender has been arrested for a first time.

The seize quantity of drug is for personal use only. The offender is legally responsible and not older

than 24 years old.

The legal framework….. The offender has not offended according to the article 244 of the

Criminal Law, during, before or after his/her arrest. In case the offender follows the police recommendations and

attends the program FreD goes net, upon the completion of the program, the DLEU will suggest to the Attorney General the dismissal of the case.

In case the offender has been found unsuitable for the program (intake interview), it is possible to be refer to a different program. In that case the DLEU will suggest to the Attorney General that the case will be temporarily suspended for a period of 2 years. Upon successful completion of the 2 years, the offender should return the participation certificate from any other therapeutic program, to the DLEU, who will suggest to the Attorney General that the case should be classified as “otherwise disposed of”.

The referral way to the course for the Republic of Cyprus ..............

Alex is caught Police: offence charges + presentation for remand

Remand : police motivates Alex (within 72 hours)

Alex calls the project

Intake (appointment)Course participation

certificate of participation

DLEU suggest to the General Attorney to classify the case as “otherwise disposed of”.

DLEU proceed with the case against the offender at the court.

Referral to a different program.

Certificate of participation……

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION FOR REFERRALSIN THE “FreD goes net” PROGRAMME

With this document, I certify that ……………………………………………of………..……………………, date of birth……………………………………. and ID number…………………………………………….:

Has completed the FreD goes net programme.From ___/___/______ Until ___/___/______

and has participated at the Intake interview Eight-hour group session

As a result of the intake interview, the person is recommended for participation in the programme …………………………………………………..

Has not completed the FreD goes net programme.

-------------------------------- ------- ---------------------------------------Date Scientific Co-ordinator

National Counselling Centrefor Adolescents and Family

The contents of this letter is protected by the provision of the Handling of Data of Personal nature (Protection of persons) Law 138/(I)2

Protection of Personal Data…..

“Relevant Services involved in the FreD goes net programme have an obligation to collect and process personal data of the persons participating in the FreD goes net programme, in a legal and lawful manner according to the provisions and principles of the Handling of Data of Personal nature (Protection of persons) Law of 2001. The personal data of the participants at the FreD goes net programme, in no case should be made known to a third person.”

The implementation period till now…..01 December 2008 – 31 August 2009

( 9 month period )

100 youths have been noticed by the police and referred to the program.

51 of them have completed successfully the program

11 of them failed to complete the program. 5 of them referred to a different therapeutic program. 15 of them refused to have an intake interview.

The first 6 months EvaluationCyprus’ Documentation of User Data Number of courses completed: 7

(evaluation have been based at 5 ) Gender : all males Average age of users: 20 years old Housing situation: 68.8% live with parents Current educational status: 63.6% at

university Job situation: 52.4% worker/ employee Previous use of prof/nal services: 90.6% no

FreD goes net ( first half)Cyprus’ Documentation of User DataDRUG USE of the participants in a lifetime Alcohol use : 90.3%Cannabis use: 96.9%Stimulants use: 16.1%Sedatives use: 9.7%Hallucinogens use: 16.7%Cocaine/ crack use: 32.3%Heroin use: 3.2%Inhalants use: 10%

FreD goes net ( first half)Cyprus’ Survey of course participants QuestionsHow satisfied you are with “FreD goes net”?

68% very satisfiedWould you recommend “FreD goes net” to your friends?

95.8% yes Statements “Participation was important to me” 64%“Participation improved my level of knowledge” 84%“Participation has changed my attitude” 56%“I intend to consume less drugs” 52%“I intend to stop taking drugs” 44%“I’m better equipped to deal with problems” 68%“I know where to get professional support” 96%“I intend to make some changes with my life” 60%

The next step and the outcome…. FreD goes net pilot phase will be completed on the 30th

of January 2010. An evaluation will be contacted for the pilot phase period

on Spring 2010. The successful establishment of the evaluated selective

prevention program FreD goes Net in Cyprus. The dissemination of the program and its establishment

in other environments e.g school environment. The reduction of use between young people. The reduction of criminality and social cost.

Thanks!

Maria Peglitsi Cyprus Anti Drugs Council Strasbourg, September 2009