SRINAGAR: In a significant step towards strengthening the fight against substance abuse and ensuring the long-term recovery of affected individuals, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday gave shape to a comprehensive Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Framework for victims of drug abuse, aimed at facilitating their successful reintegration into society through a structured rehabilitation cycle.
The proposed framework was discussed in detail during a high-level meeting attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar; Principal Secretary, Home, Chandraker Bharti; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sarmad Hafeez; Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department; Secretary, Skill Development Department; Director Colleges; Head of IMHANS Srinagar; State Informatics Officer, NIC; and other senior officers.
The framework seeks to move beyond conventional detoxification and treatment by adopting a holistic approach that combines medical care, psychosocial support, education, skill development, employment opportunities and sustained monitoring to prevent relapse and promote social stability.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary outlined a coordinated treatment-to-reintegration strategy based on Individual Reintegration Plans (IRPs) tailored to the specific needs of each beneficiary. He directed that the framework be implemented immediately on a pilot basis through IMHANS Srinagar and one additional district to identify operational challenges and refine the model before its large-scale rollout across Jammu and Kashmir.
Dulloo observed that every Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) should function through a collaborative support system involving trained counsellors and psychiatrists from the Health Department, an ASHA worker and a social worker designated by the Social Welfare Department.
He said ASHA workers would play a crucial role in ensuring adherence to treatment protocols by helping beneficiaries take prescribed medicines regularly, facilitating follow-up consultations and making home visits where necessary.
The Chief Secretary further stressed that social workers should act as a vital link between treatment and rehabilitation by motivating recovering individuals towards stabilization, rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into the socio-economic mainstream.
He said beneficiaries could be linked with self-employment initiatives, livelihood-generation programmes and various centrally sponsored schemes. He also emphasized encouraging those who had discontinued their education to resume their studies, thereby ensuring long-term recovery and self-reliance through continuous support and monitoring.
Highlighting the importance of community participation, Dulloo advocated the creation of an additional support network comprising trained counsellors drawn from Self Help Groups (SHGs), educational institutions and health centres to strengthen outreach, counselling and follow-up mechanisms.
Speaking during the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary Finance, Shailendra Kumar, assured full support from the Finance Department for the successful implementation of the initiative. He advised the Social Welfare Department to further refine the framework to make it realistic, outcome-oriented and beneficial for affected individuals.
Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti, informed that the framework has been designed around six key objectives, including institutionalising a structured rehabilitation cycle, ensuring seamless transition from detoxification to socio-economic stabilization, reducing relapse rates through continuous care and monitoring, establishing mentor-led handholding for beneficiaries, promoting interdepartmental convergence and preventing premature exit before certified stabilization.
Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sarmad Hafeez, elaborated on the three-phase rehabilitation process proposed under the framework.
He said the first phase, Treatment and Stabilization, focuses on centralized intake, assessment, detoxification, clinical evaluation and risk categorization of beneficiaries. Cases referred from government-recognised de-addiction centres will undergo comprehensive assessment by authorised psychiatric professionals. Based on risk levels, beneficiaries will receive appropriate supervision and support. Preliminary Individual Reintegration Plans covering educational, social and economic rehabilitation needs will also be prepared during this phase.
The second phase, Reintegration and Livelihood Activation, will focus on socio-economic activation and implementation of approved Individual Reintegration Plans. Beneficiaries will be connected with educational opportunities, skill development programmes, apprenticeships, employment avenues and livelihood interventions.
The third phase, Sustained Monitoring and Social Inclusion, will focus on long-term retention, community acceptance and sustained socio-economic stability. Beneficiaries will continue receiving support to maintain educational pursuits, employment, entrepreneurship initiatives, family relationships and mental well-being.
A key feature of the framework is mentor-led handholding, under which every beneficiary will be assigned a dedicated mentor responsible for continuous guidance, coordination with departments, monitoring progress and facilitating access to opportunities and support systems. Mentors will conduct periodic physical, telephonic and digital follow-ups to ensure continued engagement and recovery.
The framework also envisages strong interdepartmental convergence, bringing together multiple departments and stakeholders to ensure seamless delivery of services and benefits required during the rehabilitation process.
During the meeting, Head, IMHANS Srinagar, Prof. (Dr.) Arshid Hussain presented the proposed treatment and rehabilitation framework, highlighting evidence-based protocols and best practices required for successful implementation. He elaborated on the institution’s three-tier “Circle of Care” model and explained the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders involved in the rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration process.
Prof. Hussain also outlined a comprehensive capacity-building roadmap and informed the meeting about a series of training programmes proposed to be conducted by IMHANS Srinagar to equip the concerned personnel with the skills and knowledge required for effective implementation of the framework.
By integrating treatment, livelihood generation, social inclusion and continuous monitoring into a single structured framework, the government aims to reduce relapse rates, improve recovery outcomes and enable recovering individuals to lead productive, dignified and self-reliant lives.
