CS Reviews Framework for Treatment, Reintegration and Livelihood Support
Srinagar, May 8:
The Jammu and Kashmir Government is set to roll out a comprehensive long-term rehabilitation plan for victims of drug abuse, with a strong focus on treatment, social reintegration and livelihood support to prevent relapse among recovering addicts.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of Administrative Secretaries to review the rehabilitation framework prepared by the Social Welfare Department in consultation with various government departments and stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Finance Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti, Commissioner Secretary GAD, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department Sarmad Hafeez, Commissioner Secretary School Education Department, Director Colleges, State Informatics Officer NIC and other senior officers.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for a practical and result-oriented rehabilitation strategy capable of delivering tangible outcomes on the ground. He directed that the framework be further refined through consultations with all concerned departments and civil society stakeholders, particularly professionals from the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) and Psychiatry Departments of Government Medical Colleges.
Emphasising the importance of patient mentors in the rehabilitation process, Dulloo said such mentors should possess basic qualifications and undergo specialised training at IMHANS. He called for creation of a dedicated pool of trained resource persons with at least 30 to 40 mentors identified in every district to support the initiative.
He observed that professionally trained mentors would form the backbone of the rehabilitation programme and said their responsibilities should be clearly defined according to the needs of individual patients to ensure effective engagement and long-term rehabilitation. He also directed officials to devise an incentive mechanism for mentors.
The Chief Secretary further stressed the need to integrate various government schemes for providing livelihood opportunities to rehabilitated individuals, including skill development for self-employment and facilitating their return to schools and colleges for continuation of education.
He also directed the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to develop a dedicated digital portal for sustainable monitoring of the rehabilitation process and long-term stabilization of affected individuals within society.
Calling for a comprehensive framework with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all departments and stakeholders, Dulloo asked officials to work out financial implications and expected outcomes over a specified period to ensure effective implementation of the programme.
Additional Chief Secretary Finance Shailendra Kumar suggested categorising patients on the basis of severity of addiction so that rehabilitation interventions and mentorship support can be tailored accordingly. He also recommended exploring financial support through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives alongside government funding.
He further advised utilisation of psychologists available across different departments, including Higher Education and Health, to strengthen counselling and rehabilitation services.
Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti stressed the need for designing the rehabilitation structure after assessing ground-level requirements. He said the programme should not merely replicate conventional schemes but instead address the specific needs and challenges faced by victims and their families.
Earlier, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department Sarmad Hafeez gave a detailed presentation on the proposed rehabilitation plan. He informed the meeting that Jammu and Kashmir is emerging as the first region in the country to work on a structured long-term rehabilitation model for drug abuse victims that focuses not only on treatment but also on stabilization, social reintegration and livelihood support.
He said the proposed three-year rehabilitation framework is based on treatment and stabilization, followed by reintegration, livelihood generation, post-care monitoring and social inclusion.
Hafeez also highlighted plans for empanelment of patient mentors for continuous counselling, guidance and emotional support. He elaborated on the proposed monitoring and supervision mechanism at the UT, divisional and district levels to ensure effective implementation of the programme.