Annual Report: Expanding Access to Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation (CBDR) in the Philippines

The activity works towards providing evidence-based approaches to CBDR services that Filipino PWUDs and their families can access without fear or prejudice. To achieve this goal, the activity focuses on reaching, screening, treating, and supporting PWUDs on their journey towards recovery, as well as sustaining and institutionalizing CBDR. The activity directly benefits persons who use drugs (PWUD), their families, local government units (LGUs) implementing CBDR, and national government agencies supervising the delivery of CBDR programs, including the Department of Health (DOH), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The activity works to integrate the promotion of mental health into CBDR, given the strong correlation between drug dependence and mental health issues. Key achievements in FY 2023 include a 19% improvement in PWUDs screened, with 46 participants trained in National TOT and SBIRT Providers training in partnership with DOH DPCB. Additionally, 501 service providers were trained on SBIRT in partner LGU and schools, resulting in an 18% improvement in PWUDs enrollment and a 12% improvement in PWUDs who completed treatment. Furthermore, 703 service providers were capacitated in providing treatment, and 25 regional facilitators were trained during the National Training on YBP. A study on women-only aftercare was completed and submitted for publication. The activity has also made significant progress in capacitating LGU staff, with 1,240 staff capacitated on Reach. Digital tools for mental health and substance use, including the LIKE and the Lusog-Isip Online website, were launched. As of September 2023, the partnership with DOH to promote the Lusog-Isip app reached 15,216 Filipinos across the country. The activity has reached 263.90% (601,872) of the annual target for the number of people reached through local outreach activities, social media, print materials, and CB activities for SBCC, as well as expansion to settings. The activity works towards sustaining and institutionalizing CBDR, with a focus on integrating promotion of mental health into CBDR. The activity directly benefits PWUD, their families, LGUs implementing CBDR, and national government agencies supervising the delivery of CBDR programs. The activity has made significant progress in FY 2023, with key achievements including a 19% improvement in PWUDs screened, 501 service providers trained on SBIRT, and 703 service providers capacitated in providing treatment.