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Contact Data

Institution

Type of organisation

Governamental/Public-national

Year of foundation

1995

Institutional presentation

The National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) was established by an Act of Parliament 1995-13 and is a Statutory Board under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Oversight and policy are determined by a Board of Directors and daily operations are currently executed by a team of nineteen (19) persons appointed in established posts. As the need arises additional services can be engaged on a contractual basis, however some aspects of NCSA’s programme initiatives are conducted by volunteers. The NCSA’s mission is broken down into the following broad categories, addressing issues relating to substance abuse affecting persons from infancy right through to late adulthood: • School-Based Prevention • Community-Based Prevention • Treatment & Rehabilitation • Research and Information Vision Statement “To be the authority in Barbados for Drug Abuse Reduction” As Barbados’ National Drug Commission, the NCSA is a dynamic and responsive organization with dedicated staff committed to the task of educating, training, informing, providing technical assistance and counselling to Barbadians from all walks of life on the complexities of drug and alcohol abuse. As the lead agency on drug abuse, it keeps abreast of global drug trends and patterns of use so that it remains on the cutting edge of the discipline of drug prevention and drug addiction.

Direct beneficiaries

• Not drug users
• Experimental drug users
• Drug users
• Problematic drug users
• Fromer drug users
• Specific drug users – Sex workers, Pregnant teens, Institutionalized persons (prisoners), School-age at risk youth, Out of school youths...

Target population activities

• General population

Objective of the centre/ services

Goal: • To be the lead agency responsible for the timely provision of drug education through research, information dissemination and programme execution in order to reduce the demand for illegal drugs within the context of the Barbados National Anti-Drug Plan. Objectives: • To conduct quantitative and qualitative research to determine the nature and the extent of drug use trends in Barbados; • To implement school-based programmes that can be measured for impact, effectiveness and behaviour change; • To conduct community based programmes that utilise universal, selected and indicated approaches in order to increase the effectiveness of programming in this area; • To implement a national drug prevention communications campaign that promotes healthy lifestyle choices; • To provide training and/ or identify training opportunities for prevention specialists in various aspects of substance abuse • To support and add value to the rehabilitation efforts in Barbados as articulated in the proposed Minimum Standards of Care, and in accordance with regional standards of training for treatment and prevention specialists; • To support, partner and liaise with national, regional and international organisations and stakeholders to ensure that national, regional and international obligations in the area of drug control are met.

National coverage

The NCSA is a national institution that plays a critical role in safeguarding the future human potential of Barbados by discouraging and preventing drug use and its attendant behaviours such as crime, violence, homelessness and risky sexual activity that may lead to HIV/AIDS.

Intervention framework

Intervention types

• Prevention
• Treatment
• Risk reduction

Intervention framework for Prevention

• School/primary education
• School/secondary education
• University/Tertiary education
• Community
• Public events
• Family
• Work place

Intervention framework for Treatment

• Other (Basic counselling interventions )

Intervention framework for Risk reduction

• Interventions on prevention and health education
• Community based programs (network, social inclusion…)

Activities

• Support
• Coodination
• Promotion
• Health education
• Training
• Information
• Family & socio-educational intervention
• Personal & socio-educational intervention
• Distribution of material
• Awareness
• Field work / Practicum placement

Description of the main activities