Strengthening Faith-Based Responses to Substance Use and Crime: ISSUP and CICAD to Host Knowledge Exchange Session in Latin America

ISSUP, in collaboration with the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), will host a high-priority Knowledge Exchange Session on Faith-Based Approaches, bringing together ISSUP National Chapters across Latin America to strengthen collaboration, share experiences, and advance community and faith-based responses to substance use and crime related challenges. The session will be held online via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, at the following times: 

• Mexico, El Salvador: 08:00 

• Panama: 09:00 

• Washington DC, Chile: 10:00 

• Brazil: 11:00 

This upcoming session builds on ISSUP’s continued commitment to enhancing workforce capacity and fostering evidence-informed, community-engaged approaches across the full continuum of care, with a particular focus on faith-based responses to substance use and recruitment of young people into crime. 

The session will focus on the Faith-Based Curriculum implemented in Latin America through CICAD, providing a platform to: 

• Bring together National Chapters whose members have participated in the training 

• Share key experiences, insights, and lessons learned from implementation 

• Identify priority areas for future knowledge exchange and regional collaboration 

• Explore opportunities to strengthen the role of faith and spirituality within national and regional responses to substance use and recruitment into crime

Participation is strongly encouraged from National Chapter Directors, Faith-based network focal points and professionals and practitioners involved in CICAD training. Participants will receive a formal invitation and joining link in advance.  

This exchange session comes at a pivotal moment, following the recent ISSUP global webinar titled “Faith Communities and Religion in Addressing Substance Use”, which highlighted the growing importance of faith-based and community-led responses worldwide.  

The webinar, featuring Father Charly Olivero and Dr. Emilce Cuda, brought together a diverse audience of professionals, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders. Discussions emphasised that effective responses to substance use must go beyond individual-level interventions and address the social and community contexts in which substance use occurs. Faith-based communities, including churches and local organisations, play a crucial role in fostering belonging, reducing stigma, and supporting long-term recovery, while also contributing to prevention and reducing vulnerability to drug-related crime. To revisit the recent webinar and continue the discussion, you can watch the full session here.

We encourage all relevant stakeholders to participate in this important exchange and contribute to strengthening this growing area of work.