Jammu Kashmir to Roll Out Structured Rehabilitation Programme for Drug Abuse Victims | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is set to introduce a structured long-term rehabilitation model for victims of drug abuse, with the administration proposing a comprehensive three-year framework focused on treatment, counselling, social reintegration, livelihood generation and post-care monitoring to prevent relapse.

The decision was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday, where senior officials discussed a rehabilitation plan prepared by the Social Welfare Department in consultation with multiple government departments and stakeholders.

The Chief Secretary directed departments to develop a practical and result-oriented rehabilitation mechanism capable of delivering measurable outcomes on the ground. He stressed the need for extensive consultation with mental health professionals, civil society groups, the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), and Psychiatry Departments of Government Medical Colleges before finalising the framework.

Dulloo emphasised the role of trained patient mentors in the recovery process and called for the creation of a dedicated pool of resource persons across all districts. He said around 30 to 40 mentors should be identified in each district and trained through specialised modules at IMHANS to provide counselling, emotional support and rehabilitation assistance to affected individuals.

He also directed departments to define the responsibilities of mentors clearly and devise an incentive-based mechanism to strengthen the programme.

The Chief Secretary further instructed departments to link rehabilitation measures with existing government welfare schemes to facilitate skill development, self-employment opportunities and educational support for recovering individuals. He also asked the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to develop a dedicated digital portal for monitoring rehabilitation and post-treatment stabilisation.

Additional Chief Secretary Finance Shailendra Kumar suggested categorising patients according to the severity of addiction to ensure tailored rehabilitation interventions. He also proposed exploring Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding and utilisation of psychologists available in the Higher Education and Health Departments to strengthen counselling services.

Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti stressed that the rehabilitation structure should be designed according to ground realities and the specific challenges faced by victims and their families.

Earlier, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Sarmad Hafeez informed the meeting that Jammu and Kashmir was emerging as the first region in the country to work on a structured long-term rehabilitation model aimed at treatment, reintegration, livelihood support and prevention of relapse among drug abuse victims.

The proposed framework envisages continuous counselling through empanelled mentors, multi-level monitoring mechanisms at Union Territory, divisional and district levels, and phased implementation of post-care and rehabilitation programmes.