Drugs Program

Prevention

Objective

To monitor, prevent and reduce demand of substance use among street living, street working and street family children/youth.

 

Activities

Prevention information and services are provided to at-risk or vulnerable children/youth using a specific curriculum and associated education materials. Peer Educators created a special character named “ HERO ” who is used on all the IEC materials related to Drugs. The aim is to address the consequences of drug use and encourage children/youth to later perceptions about Drug Use.

The staff of Mith Samlanh also support a team of Peer Educators to provide prevention information/education services on the street.

 

Harm Reduction/Treatment/Rehabilitation

Objective

To provide a holistic respose to drug use among street children/youth, including Harm Reduction, Detoxification/ Rehabilitation and monitoring levels and trends of substance use.

 

Activities

Drug using children/youth are reached through a variety of different services including street-based outreach, the Boarding House and a Mobile Drop-in-Center. Information is provided to children/youth about the risks associated with drug use, including HIV/AIDS and if necessary, are provided with the materials to protect themselves.

Mith Samlanh is currently the only organisation to receive authorization from the Government of Cambodia to run a Harm Reduction Program, including needle/syringe exchange. A team of children have also been selected and trained to become a Safety Agents to support their peers on the streets.

A voluntary Detoxification and Treatment programme (Green House) offers the chance for children/youth substance addiction to safely detoxify through symptomatic medical treatment and pyscho-social support. Children/youth are then supported for rehabilatation and reintegration through the services provided in Camp Sabay-Sabay and the various Mith Samlanh programs, including vocational training, leading onto social reintegration. Rehabilitation is an on-going process where each individual case is followed-up with regular pyscho-social supoort and counselling sessions to ensure the child/youth is not at risk of relapsing.