Carmen Fernández Cáceres
General Director of Centros de Integración Juvenil
President ISSUP Mexico
In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and in face of challenges posed by the so-called “new normality”, Centros de Integración Juvenil (CIJ) in Mexico held the 21st International Congress on Addictions last October. This edition was held virtually and was named “Attention to Mental Health and Addictions in the new reality”, a title that is more than appropriate considering the impact that the health emergency has represented for the wellbeing of societies.
In this academic meeting, 60 specialists from 13 countries participated, representatives of different institutions around the world, such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP), the Council of Europe International Co-operation Group on Drugs and Addictions (Pompidou Group), among other leading institutions.
In two days of transmission, more than 21 thousand people followed the event, which was made up of thirteen panels, from at least 20 countries around the world, through the Congress digital platform and the different social networks of CIJ.
Within the framework of this event, topics were addressed that put into perspective the complexity of the phenomenon of drug use, from the genetic aspects that predispose to addiction, to the environment in which a person develops, and that can trigger a disorder of this nature, as the type of parenting and adverse experiences throughout life. The actions implemented in the field of mental health so far during the health emergency were also presented. The most current preventive and treatment models for drug use were discussed, with emphasis on the way in which new technologies nowadays assist in the delivery of services and the way in which telemedicine has become an essential tool in the face of the new reality and its role in the future of mental health care.
The same space became the stage to talk about the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, which despite the normalization of its use, continue to generate serious health problems. Likewise, the changing panorama of marijuana, an issue of great relevance in several latitudes of the world, including Mexico, was discussed in the context of the regulation of this drug. In addition, new findings on dual pathology were presented and there was a dialogue on the harm reduction approach, therapeutic justice, sexuality issues and the visibility of hidden populations such as the children of drug users. In addition, aspects related to the quality of therapeutic services were addressed, where evaluation was discussed as a tool for the improvement of the processes that have a positive impact on the health of substance users. The importance of professionalization and strengthening of labor field in demand reduction was also discussed.
In this way, researchers, academics, civil organizations, specialists in programs and public policies, anti-drug commissions and international cooperation groups were brought together, with a common objective, to join efforts to protect and attend mental health of the communities, as well as to provide timely responses to the emerging challenges of the new reality.
The presentations are available on Facebook through https://www.facebook.com/CIJ.OFICIAL/videos/?ref=page_internal or by scanning the QR code.
Panel: Professionalization and strengthening of the labor field in Drug Demand Reduction at the 21st International Congress on Addictions of Centros de Integración Juvenil, host organization of ISSUP Mexico.
ISSUP, INL, ICUDDR and GCCC agreed on the importance of creating knowledge management communities, promoting innovations and the exchange of experiences and evidence-based practices, creating and strengthening the workforce in drug demand reduction, through of the collaboration of various organizations and actors.
Link to complete article: Professionalization and Strengthening of the Drug Demand Reduction Workforce. | International Society of Substance Use Professionals (issup.net)
Gallery
