OKANA DIRECT SOCIAL INTERVENTION UNIT

Description

Τhe Direct Social Intervention Unit of OKANA addresses young offenders who use illegal substances (13-25 years old), with the aim of early intervention

a) in the event of their arrest by the prosecuting authorities and if the Service is called upon the consent of the person or his/her guardians if he/she is a minor

b) in case of direct referral by the prosecuting authorities, even when there is no arrest.

As, the cooperation between the police and specialized agencies, active in the field of addictions, can contribute decisively to the positive mobilization of offender users and their families, towards the adoption of attitudes and behaviors that contribute to the reduction of substance use and its consequences (delinquency), as well as promoting the psychosocial health of individuals.

The main objective of the pioneer Unit, is the assessment and timely intervention of young offenders-users of psychotropic substances and their families with the aim of liberating them from the use of substances and preventing future delinquency, as well as the attempt to cover individualized their needs through their interconnection with specialized agencies.

The specific Unit approaches the target population only through the development of cooperation with the Greek Police and its competent services (Security Departments, the Juvenile Sub-Directorate of GADA, and in general any other Service involved with the Target Group).

In particular, the Immediate Social Intervention Unit is not a drug addiction treatment program, but a short-term counseling program of limited sessions and is aimed at offenders who use illegal substances of any substance and regardless of the frequency of use: occasional, systematic or intensive-daily, with the aim of early intervention upon arrest or the contact of young people with the prosecuting authorities

People who can benefit from the interventions of the OKANA Unit must meet the following criteria:

• To be arrested for drug law violations
• They must be minors (13-18 years old)
• They must be people aged 18-25, who are arrested for the first time
• They must be people between the ages of 18-25 who, although they are not arrested for the first time, their previous arrests always relate to the possession or trafficking of a small amount to facilitate use.
• Regardless of gender, religion, and nationality, who make experimental, occasional or systematic use of illegal substances.

The Basic Interventions provided by the said Unit are as follows:

• Assessment and provision of supportive services to minors and/or young people who come into contact with the criminal justice system at the stage of arrest and police investigation for drug law violations, depending on their needs.
• Providing information in the context of harm reduction strategies from the preliminary investigation stage.
• Providing support services to the family members of the arrested persons, (if deemed necessary by the prevailing conditions) at the arrest stage.
• Providing support services to the police officers of the cooperating Security Departments and other competent services of the Hellenic Police, in relation to issues related to the area of dependencies, including the management of critical incidents within the Security Departments (existence of a telephone line for direct and exclusive communication with EL.AS, on a daily basis from 7.30am-10.00pm).
• Assessment, Support and Provision of mobilization consulting services according to the individual’s individual needs
• Evaluation, Support and Provision of mobilization advisory services to the family members of the arrested persons according to the needs arising from the structure of each family
• Connection and referral with Therapeutic Agencies for addictions as well as with any other agency deemed necessary depending on the individual needs of the individual and/or his social environment.

COMPLETION OF SERVICE INITIATION COUNSELING PROGRAM

If the individual completes the Unit Mobilization Counseling Program, regardless of their acceptance of referral to a legally approved treatment program, they are issued a Certificate of Participation in the Unit Mobilization Counseling Program.