UCLA to oversee web of drug treatment centers

Alexandra Bornhoft,
Published: Tuesday, February 28, 2006

UCLA will be playing a part in addressing drug abuse worldwide as it begins coordinating a global network of drug abuse resource centers.

The Integrated Substance Abuse Program at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior has been chosen by the United Nations to coordinate and oversee an international network of drug treatment and rehabilitation centers.

Nearly 200 million people worldwide use illicit drugs, according to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime’s 2005 World Drug Report. The UNODC aims to establish worldwide information and treatment centers, to provide accessible information and treatment for drugs and drug abuse.

UCLA’s Integrated Substance Abuse Program will serve as a curriculum development base by leading a series of training workshops over the next 18 months. Its coordinating role will allow UCLA to play a large part in responding to the economic and social consequences of drug abuse worldwide, according to a press release.

“We feel honored to be selected to manage this important project,” said Richard Rawson, associate director of the Integrated Substance Abuse Program and principle investigator for the network.

“Improving the availability and effectiveness of drug rehabilitation services through the UNODC network will make a real difference in many, many lives,” he said.

ISAP plans to organize programs that will include generalized training applicable to all countries, as well as specialized classes designed to target specific challenges, such as the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Once the trained representatives complete the program, they will be sent to one of 20 countries, such as Indonesia, Brazil, Kenya and other countries where drug use is high.

After meeting in Vienna, Austria in early December, participants from around the globe discussed the capabilities of the network, according to a press release on the United Nations Information Service.

While the immediate objective of the network is to administer abuse and treatment interventions, the international centers are looking to achieve long-term effects.