Substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation programmes in South Africa : implications for social policy.

Abstract

THIS STUDY EXAMINES SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SOUTH AFRICA WHICH POSES MAJOR CHALLENGES IN THE AREAS OF ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTER-CARE. THIS HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON A NUMBER OF POLICIES DEALING DIRECTLY WITH RESOURCES, BUDGETS, NORMS AND STANDARDS OF / FOR SERVICE DELIVERY. THIS STUDY FOCUSSES ON THE AGENCIES AND THE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE BOTH ARE CRUCIAL IN THE INTERVENTION, PLANNING OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES AS WELL AS IMPLEMENTING POLICY. THIS RESEARCH INVESTIGATED THE TYPES OF TREATMENT AVAILABLE, THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM, ITS FUNCTIONS, AREAS OF NEED AND CONCERNS REGARDING THE CURRENT POLICIES. THE ASSESSMENT OF THE SERVICE DELIVERY ORGANISATIONS REVEALED, DEDICATION BUT ALSO A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE DEBATED UPON. FEW AGENCIES CHANGED OR USED MORE UP TO DATE INTERVENTION MODELS, WHICH GIVES THE CLIENT FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND ALLOWED HIM/HER TO BE THE MAJOR CHANGE AGENT IN HISIHER BEHAVIOUR CHANGES. A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE LEADS TO INAPPROPRIATE TREATMENT PLANS WHICH IN MANY INSTANCES LEADS TO THE RELAPSE RATES REMAINING HIGH. A STUDY OF THE MULTI DISCIPLINARY AND INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENTAL, NON-GOVERNMENTAL AND PRIVATE REHABILITATION AND TREATMENT CENTRES WAS CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE AND ISSUES THEY FACED. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE DUAL DIAGNOSED CLIENTS, WHO HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE NET BECAUSE OF LACK OF TRAINING THEORY AND PRACTICE 0N THE PART OF THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM. THE STUDY REVEALED THAT THE GAP BETWEEN POLICY AND PRACTICE NEEDS TO BE MORE INTEGRATED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED DRUG FREE INDIVIDUALS. AGENCIES DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE ENERGY TO DEAL WITH AND IMPLEMENT NEW AND OTHER POLICY CHANGES. THIS RESULTS BECAUSE OF OVERLOAD, LACK OF FUNDS AND LACK OF HUMAN RESOURCES. THROUGH THE LITERATURE STUDY A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME FOR TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION IS RESEARCHED TO MEET THE UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE SUBSTANCE ABUSER AND ALSO THE TEAM /INDIVIDUALS WHO PLAN THE TREATMENT. A LARGE NUMBER OF MODELS ARE DISCUSSED SO THAT THE PLANNING TEAM CAN CHOOSE APPROPRIATE ONES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CLIENTS. ANOTHER AREA OF ASSESSMENT WAS THE INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS OPINIONS ON TREATMENT TIME FRAMES AND TREATMENT STRATEGIES. THIS THESIS RESEARCHED EVERY COMPONENT TREATMENT PROGRAMMES AND STRATEGIES AND SHOULD BE USED AS A REFERENCE AND TRAINING GUIDE BY ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE FIELD OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND GLOBALLY. OF SPECIAL EMPHASIS WOULD BE THE UNDERSTANDING OF DUAL DIAGNOSIS AND THE PROVISION OF A SUITABLE TREATMENT PROGRAMME. THE INVESTIGATION INTO SOCIAL POLICIES PROVIDES FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT TO MEET THE NEEDS FO SUBSTANCE ABUSERS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND WORLD WIDE.