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The Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau today (July 14) launched the Three-year Plan on Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services in Hong Kong for 2015-2017. The Plan recommends the strategic directions that the drug treatment and rehabilitation (T&R) services should take between 2015 and 2017.
In June 2014, a working group comprising representatives from T&R agencies, counselling centres, academia, the medical services and government departments was formed to oversee the formulation of the Plan. Dr Ben Cheung, the then Chairman of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) Sub-committee on Treatment and Rehabilitation, and now the ACAN Chairman, led the working group.
Speaking on the work in preparing the Plan, Dr Cheung said, "The formulation of Three-year Plans has been a consensus-building process among stakeholders involved in the T&R services. The aim is to recommend broad directions for service providers to review and develop their own action plans and programmes.
"The fifth Three-year Plan covering 2009-11 had focused primarily on expanding the capacity of services to meet the demands arising from the surge in psychotropic substance abuse during the period. The sixth Three-year Plan covering 2012-14 took one step further in promoting better integration among the different service modes and the trial of more innovative T&R programmes.
"The current plan is the seventh of its kind. An important area of interest is further deepening the T&R services such that there could be stronger support for family members of drug abusers and more aftercare services to minimise relapse and facilitate their reintegration into society."
The Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs Erika Hui, said, "With the more solid foundation established in different aspects of T&R services over the past few years, there is room for pursuing enhancement in the interface between different services, to promote early identification of hidden drug abusers and strengthen aftercare services for rehabilitees.
"The steady decline in the number of reported drug abusers since its peak in 2008 suggests that efforts of the Government and the anti-drug sector in the past years have borne fruit. Yet we are concerned about an increase in the number as well as proportion of methamphetamine (ice) abusers. Front-line anti-drug workers have reflected worries over an increase in cases displaying drug-induced psychiatric symptoms including tension, hallucination and the feeling of persecution, and sometimes violent behaviour. Such a development calls for closer collaboration across different services and professions, and more experience sharing and training. We encourage service providers to continue to trial new ideas with the support of the Beat Drugs Fund."
Mrs Hui pointed out that T&R is part of the five-pronged anti-drug strategy, which also comprises preventive education and publicity, law enforcement, international co-operation, and research work.
"The efforts by government departments, public bodies and non-governmental organisations in ensuring that our T&R services could address the needs of the changing drug scene are instrumental to the success of the war against drugs," Mrs Hui added.
"The ND will work closely with the Social Welfare Department, the Department of Health, other relevant departments, public bodies and various service agencies to monitor the implementation of the recommendations in the Plan and regularly report progress to ACAN," she said.
Dr Cheung thanked members of the working group, and all relevant parties for candidly sharing their insightful experience and views. "We deeply appreciate the partnership with the anti-drug sector and all parties concerned in the anti-drug war. We look forward to continuous collaboration in the future," Dr Cheung added.
The first six Three-year Plans were promulgated in 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012. The current plan is the seventh. The full text of the Plan is available on the ND website (www.nd.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:30
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