Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Addictions, IP
INSTITUTE FOR ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS AND DEPENDENCES
OPERATING SINCE JANUARY 1
The Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Addictions (ICAD, IP) is the new central body for this area, which has been operating across the entire continental territory since January 1st.
Its mission is to prevent and reduce addictive behaviors and addictions, ensure treatment, risk reduction and harm minimization, social reintegration, as well as promoting training and differentiated training, research and innovation in these areas.
The ICAD, IP Board of Directors is chaired by João Goulão - who is also, inherently, the national coordinator for Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies, and as a member, Manuel Cardoso, both appointed on a replacement basis.
The new institute aims to strengthen the response capacity in combating addictive behaviors and addictions, integrating planning, coordination and provision of healthcare in this area. At a local level, the deconcentrated functional units providing health care in matters of addictive behaviors and addictions, called local intervention units in addictive behaviors and addictions (UIL--CAD), are part of the SNS and operate within their territorial scope , in an articulated manner among themselves and with other SNS establishments and services, in the areas of prevention, risk reduction and harm minimization, treatment and reintegration of users with addictive behaviors and dependencies. , enabling the resumption of verticality in services.
With ICAD, IP, the National Plan for the Reduction of Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (PNRCAD – Horizon 2030), based on three pillars – Empower, Care and Protect – sees better conditions created for the development of its Action Plans, so coordinated, articulated and networked, making it possible to provide greater robustness and effectiveness in guaranteeing responses to people who need specialized help in the area of CAD, thus aiming for greater health gains. Always, with citizen-centeredness.
Decree-Law No. 89/2023 , of October 11, which creates ICAD,IP indicates, among its responsibilities, the following: supporting the member of the Government responsible for the health area in defining policies in the context of addictive behaviors and of dependencies, and the assessment of their impacts; provide support to the National Council for Addictive Behaviors and Addictions and the national coordinator for Addictive Behaviors and Addictions; promote good practices, prioritizing quality, innovation and acceptability in the area of addictive behaviors and addictions; establish agreements and conventions with private health units, whether profit or non-profit; define technical and normative guidelines for intervention in the areas of addictive behaviors and dependencies; ensure international representation, in the field of its specific responsibilities; ensure compliance with the obligations of the Portuguese State, namely as the national focal point of the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (future European Union Agency on Drugs); provide technical and administrative support and guarantee the necessary infrastructure for the functioning of committees to dissuade drug addiction, as well as monitor their operation.
The merger process with the services of the five regional health administrations is scheduled for completion on March 31, 2024.