The National Council on Substance Abuse is pleased to announce the start of the “Universal Treatment Curriculum”- a series of eight (8) courses aimed at strengthening capacities among substance abuse treatment providers in Barbados.

The Universal Treatment Curriculum is a collaborative initiative among the Organisation of American States/Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS/CICAD), the Colombo Plan Global Centre for Credentialing and Certification and other International organisations with support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the United States Department of State.

Through this initiative, the curriculum seeks to reduce the significant health, social, and economic problems associated with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) by building international treatment capacity through training, professionalizing, and expanding the global treatment workforce. This training prepares counsellors for professional certification by providing information about SUDs and their treatment. The training also utilizes hands-on activities to develop skills and confidence in a relatively new treatment workforce.

At the end of each course each participant will receive a Certificate of Participation. On the completion of all eight courses each participant has an opportunity to become an Internationally Certified Addiction Professional in Treatment or a Trainer after passing a credentialing examination.