Winner 2018

Support for Addictions Prevention and Treatment in Africa (SAPTA)

Mission:

The Support for Addictions Prevention and Treatment in Africa (SAPTA) aims to address substance abuse and related problems in society by devising evidence-based and quality programmes built on understood overarching prevention and treatment principles.

Objectives:SAPTA

  • Provision of educational programmes for addiction counsellors
  • Running of community-based prevention programmes
  • Advocacy for greater access to treatment
  • Promotion of professionalism in the addiction field through strengthening and capacity building for treatment centres
  • Outpatient counselling and treatment for substance use disorders

SAPTA’s 5-point foci:

  1. Alcohol and drug abuse evidence-based prevention science, especially for children, adolescents, and young adults.
  2. Alcohol and drug abuse (AUD/SUD) treatment throughout patient services and alcohol and drug treatment programmes especially focusing on the poor and those who are marginalised.
  3. Recovery programmes: Understanding SUD as chronic disease management.
  4. Training on evidence-based addiction counselling and prevention science and continuing professional education courses for addiction professionals and others.
  5. Research on alcohol/drugs/HIV/mental illnesses; advocacy for access to treatment.

Partners:

Outcomes:

  • SAPTA has encouraged the development of a budget for mental health and psychosocial rehabilitation by evidencing the effectiveness of community-based interventions.
  • SAPTA offers a range of substance abuse testing and addiction assessments.
  • ‘Reaching Youth Before Drugs Do’ is a drug prevention programme created by SAPTA that aims to provide young people with information, so they can make informed decisions to remain drug-free.
  • SAPTA has developed an Employee Assistance Programme that offers free counselling and advice to support wellbeing in the workplace.
  • SAPTA, with funding from SAMHSA, has created an alcohol/drug/HIV risk reduction psycho-educational programme, called ‘Steps to Healthy Living’ for use in community settings by peer educators. 
  • The Truth About Drugs Programme is designed to support parents to deliver factual information about drugs and their harmful effects.
  • SAPTA is successfully working to reduce stigmaincrease access to mental health support, integrate mental health services in primary health care and promote commitment to community interventions.
This piece of content is not translated in Česky. View the original content in Anglicky here.