The approval of the feasibility of new NSRF programs and actions for the period 2021-2027 and the continuation of the existing ones of the period 2014-2021, with the aim of dealing with addictions and implementing targeted interventions to meet the needs of people addicted to legal and/or illegal drugs substances for the next programming period, the Ministry of Health decided.

The deputy minister responsible for mental health issues, Dimitrios Vartzopoulos, approved the feasibility, in the context of the new partnership agreement for the NSRF development framework (2021-27) for development, actions and projects to deal with addictions based on the four pillars of Prevention, Harm Reduction – Immediate Access, Treatment and Social Reintegration, with a total budget of 80,675,000 euros for the next five years.

In the programs NSRF all the bodies dealing with addictions joined, and in particular the OKANA, the KETHEA, and the rehab units of the PSNA, PSNTH, GN Corfu and GN Hatzikosta.

Among other things, innovative actions are interventions in I WAS PRECEDING with mobile units, the creation of Hostels, Mobile Care Units to cover the basic living needs of homeless substance dependents, Mobile Units for immediate inclusion in treatment with the provision of a substitute in the field, but also structures and services aimed at dealing with legal addictions such as alcohol, gambling and the internet.

Accordingly, training and education programs are foreseen in the new NSRF, which were to be implemented for several years, as well as supervision programs for therapists by specialist scientists are also being developed.

With the aim of maximally strengthening the therapeutic processes, the largest part of the NSRF grant is channeled into the dry programs (32,146,000 euros) while particular importance is also given to social reintegration programs (8,999,000 euros). The goal is the existence of all therapeutic options and the fastest possible access of the beneficiaries to them in combination with their comprehensive psychosocial rehabilitation.

In detail, the subsidy per type of service amounts to:

1. Damage Reduction – 30,406,000 euros

2. Treatment – 36,381,000 euros (of which 32,146,000 relate to dry drug addiction programs)

3. Social Integration – 8,999,000 euros

4. Education/Training – 4,889,000 euros

A special initiative, in addition to the above, is the creation of a therapeutic farm for the training and employment of dependent people in agricultural work, with the aim of acquiring supplies, which they will be able to use in the future to be employed in the primary sector.

A very important innovation, which is financed by the new NSRF period 2021-2027, is the first Psychoactive Substances Control Laboratory – Poisoning Reference Center, where acute poisoning incidents will be analyzed, with immediate reporting of the incident to the competent agencies. This will contribute to – for the first time – immediate information on the substance of use and the overdose incident, contributing to the planning of interventions and the taking of measures to address the challenges in the field of addictions.

The Ministry of Health strengthens the effort to deal with addictions and carries out innovative and radical interventions. The legislative initiative of the creation of a National Organization for the Prevention and Treatment of Addictions (EOPAE), which will include all the available structures and services, and the decision to approve the feasibility of the new NSRF initiate a new era. The problem of addiction is now addressed in a global and holistic way and is supported by significant funding with the needs of addicts as the sole focus.