Determined to provide the highest possible standards among all of the member agencies actively involved in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse, the Council Partners Charitable Trust has joined up with CARF (Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities).

Under the tutelage of CARF's director of behavioural services, Dr. Tim Slaven, the Bermuda Life Skills Group, FOCUS Counselling Services, PRIDE (Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education), and Fair Havens Christian Care Association have been working towards accreditation which is recognised in the US, Canada and Europe. Also included in last week's series of workshops was the Family Learning Centre, which has just placed two of its programmes under the Council's umbrella.

"Council Partners has been listening to some of the very importants questions being asked by the donor community,'' explains Austin Warner, director of programme standards for the Trust. "Questions such as `how can we really measure the effectiveness of the various programmes and are we getting value for money? Are the dollars being spent effectively?' "Also, the providers themselves were becoming concerned with developing some type of system that would help gauge progress and standards in dealing with Bermuda's substance abuse problems. We wanted to see how we measure up with our counterparts overseas. It seemed to us that official accreditation would be the answer and the agencies are now actively working towards that goal.'' "All of the groups were very motivated,'' said Dr. Slaven who has spent more than 25 years in the field of substance abuse, "and extremely enthusiastic about the fact that they were taking part in a process which, hopefully, in about a year's time, will recognise that they have achieved international standards.

"It's a bit like the `Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval','' he added.

"Consumers need to know that it will be OK to send a family member to obtain help from one of these agencies, and be assured that the service will be of the highest quality.'' In order to achieve accreditation, two surveyors from CARF will spend two days per agency, reviewing policies, procedures, staff, board and family members.

They will then write a report, complete with suggestions and recommendations which will be submitted to CARF's main board for consideration of accreditation. "About 60 percent of applicants are successful in receiving accreditation for a period of three years,'' explained Dr. Slaven.

Some of the areas covered in the training programme include administration (finance and human resources), health and safety, programme areas such as screening, assessment, training plans, staffing and structure of services.

Participants in the workshops received training in how to measure results and develop systems that will indicate changes in clients' behaviour and lifestyles as a result of these programmes.

Addiction counsellors aim for accreditation "If we are challenged, for instance, by someone saying `I sent my kid to your progamme and it didn't do any good', we can then point them to the assessment that the programme is indeed an effective one,'' explained Mr. Warner.

"Bermuda is in an advantageous position in that it has a person such as myself who can assist all of the agencies in preparing for this process,'' commented Mr. Warner. "I believe my role here is unique -- I am their `cheerleader' who keeps them focused, provides help and support -- and then Tim will be back, lending more technical assistance for them to achieve their goals.'' "I've rarely worked in a collective way like this,'' admitted Dr. Slaven, "but this is a real strength in itself. More typically, each programme is out there on its own but, in this case, we have all the groups encouraging and helping each other -- and an excellent point person in Austin!'' Noting that he and Dr. Slaven "go back a long way'', Mr. Warner described the doctor as his mentor: "I worked with him in several alcohol and drugs programmes in the States, usually in residential facilities for adolescents, so it seemed a natural progression to invite `the expert' to help us with this survey programme.'' Dr. Slaven has an MA in Counsellor of Psychiatry and a PhD in Urban Services Health Care Administration from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Mr. Warner, who spent 11 years working in Bermuda's counselling and social fields before returning to his native America, is an ordained minister who returned to the Island as clinical coordinator for Addiction Services.

A recipient of Council Partners' Outstanding Award Scheme, he joined their team in February.

"After these workshops,'' he commented, "I feel quite sure that we are going to be very successful in gaining accreditation for all of our agencies.'' A CREDIT TO THE COMMUNITY -- Drugs accredition expert Dr. Tim Slaven , photo