Children addiction treatment and rehabilitation residential centers (CATRCs): a pilot study in Iran

Abstract:

Background: Until recently, there was no center specialized for the treatment and rehabilitation of children with substance use disorder in Iran. However, recently, a new initiation in the form of Children Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Residential Centers (CATRC) has been piloted in Iran. This brief report is an early evaluation of the performance of CATRC in the treatment and rehabilitation of children with drug use/use disorder.
Objective: Feasibility and evaluation of a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation model for children and adolescents with substance use disorder
Methods: The evaluation on pilot project was done in two CATRCs established in the city of Zahedan. Subjects were 107 children between the ages of 0 and 18 with a history of drug use or drug use disorder sent to CATRCs to fulfill a judicial decision or by the Welfare Organization
Results: Out of 88 children discharged from the two CATRCs during the 1.5 years since their establishment, there were no relapses or criminal activity in 97.7% of children.
Conclusion: this study showed early evidence of the positive performance of CATRCs in Iran.

Audience Takeway

• Explaining substance use disorder in children and adolescents as a global health challenge.
• Introducing the treatment of substance use disorder in children.
• Clarify the profile of homeless street children or substance abuse/substance abuse "victims" of the disorder.
• Presenting a preliminary study of a method for residential treatment of substance use disorder in homeless children.
• Presenting lessons learned from a new experience.

Biography:

Dr. Mohsen Roshanpajouh, He is a Psychiatrist with an MD and MPH, presently holding the position of vice-chancellor (Deputy of Research) at the School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). He has an extensive research background in the area of addiction prevention and treatment, spanning over 25 years. His research portfolio encompasses several national and international projects, including the "National Household Survey on the Prevalence of Drug Use in the General Population of Iran", the preparation and compilation of "The Comprehensive Document of Social Support and Addiction Treatment of the Islamic Republic of Iran" as "The National Policies," and the development of various guidelines and protocols such as "Treatment protocol for residential centers for the recovery and rehabilitation of person with substance use disorders”. Recently, he has implementing a joint research project with the United Nations Development Office (UNDP) under the title of “Community-based organizations institutional capacity building for Covid-19 and HIV control in key populations” such as IV-drug users (IDUs).