Dianova Uruguay NewsBriefs

Chanaes Center

 

Dianova Uruguay: Highlights 2015

On the occasion of the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Dianova Uruguay Foundation, representatives of Dianova Chile and Dianova International met with the team in Uruguay and reviewed the organization’s various achievements in the first half of 2015. They later had the opportunity to visit the organization’s facilities and developing projects.

Dianova Uruguay Integrates the Early Warning System (SAT)

The JND (Junta Nacional de Drogas – National Drug Council / Uruguayan Observatory on Drugs) invited Dianova to integrate the Early Warning System (SAT). The SAT is dedicated to provide information, reporting and rapid responses to the emergence of new psychoactive drugs, new consumption modalities and any other drug-related event that may endanger people’s health. The “Registered Users” group that Dianova integrated, is composed of professionals and public and private institutions considered as benchmark organizations a the national level.

Sistema de Alerta Temprana

Chanaes Center’s Residents Receive Award

Celebration dinner for the staff of Dianova Uruguay

As part of Chanaes Center’s artistic workshops, the center’s residents have participated in the “National Short Film Script” contest organized by the Junta Nacional de Drogas (Uruguayan Drug Council).

Initiated by the Department of Prevention of the Council, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Uruguayan Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual, and sponsored by the B’naiB’rith organization, the competition aimed to encourage a reflection on drug prevention issues in young people.

Emphasis was put on the importance of shifting attention from the substance to the individual, at the core of any prevention or harm reduction initiative.

The jury decided to support a screenplay presented by Dianova residents, i.e. a documentary chronicling their various treatment experiences at Chanaes center. The award made it possible to produce a short film with a professional film crew from the Ministry of Education and Culture, in addition to the purchase of audio-visual material to stimulate the continuity of the center’s artistic production.

The short film “Desde Adentro” (From Within) was made according to Dianova’s core values and by promoting a participatory process through the artistic expression of these young people, so as to give a comprehensive understanding of their difficulties.

Beyond the honorary aspects of the award, one should underline the path taken by such a group of people who felt the need to convey a truth which had been silenced by the hopelessness and stigma suffered by a minority subject to social exclusion.

Chanaes Center (department of San José) is a residential public facility managed by the Dianova Foundation in Uruguay, in coordination with the National Network of Drugs (RENADRO). The center specializes in the treatment of adolescents and young adults struggling with addiction and mental health issues. Inaugurated in September 2013, the centre has a 18-person capacity and a staff consisting of an interdisciplinary team including doctors, psychologists, social workers, social educators, nurse assistants and workshops facilitators.

Chanaes Ceneter: Signing of a Cooperation Agreement

Signing of the agreement

An agreement has been signed between the Departmental Government of San José (regional administration) and Dianova with support from the Junta Nacional de Drogas (National Drug Counci)l. Chanaes center’s young residents will be offered internships through this agreement which was based on the necessity of supporting community-based organizations dedicated to encouraging education and skill development for the youth.

This agreement is a great opportunity to help the residents reintegrate their communities while having the opportunity of developing work habits that will increase their chances to get a decent job and become productive members of society.  Dianova will also participate in drug prevention initiatives.

Dianova Answered Tender to Manage a ‘Citadel’ Facility

Dianova answered a call for tender to manage a “Citadel” service in the Department of Maldonado, thus contributing to the development of public policies on drugs, in accordance with individual and collective human rights.

“Citadel” services are public centers dedicated to providing information, counselling, evaluation, treatment and referral services to people suffering from substance abuse and their families; Citadel centers offer services to all citizens, including drug users, families, teachers and educators in search of initial assessment and treatment guidance. The National Drug Council will implement a “Citadel” service in each department of the country as a gateway to the drug care network.

'Ciudadela' facility

Dianova Rondeau Center for Adolescents (Montevideo)

Dianova Uruguay

Located 5 minutes from downtown Montevideo, the Rondeau center meets various objectives : it is home of the foundation’s administrative headquarters and offers information and evaluation services and develops a program for adolescents in residential and outpatient modalities – in compliance with the requisites of its partner organization, the Institute for Children and Adolescents of Uruguay (INAU).

The adolescent center continues with high levels of adherence and satisfying therapeutic outcomes. the program is adapted and assessed on an ongoing basis, based on the needs of the adolescents concerned. These evaluation practices have been implemented since the original signing of a cooperation agreement with INAU in 2001.

The agreement provides for periodic instances of supervision by INAU and an annual evaluation. To date, the center has performed satisfactorily, as regards these regular evaluations.