high-ranking international qualifications.

And the new Bermuda Addiction Certification Board is now launching a careers programme to help young Bermudians who want to train as rehabilitation experts.

The BACB and Bermuda College are co-ordinating specialist courses, run with the approval of American experts at the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium.

Officials said the BACB already had 20 fully qualified counsellors who applied for accreditation from the Consortium.

They said Bermuda's link-up with IC&RC represented a "brilliant new approach'' to drug and alcohol addiction services on the Island.

Experts from IC&RC spoke to Board members and Health Minister Wayne Furbert at a conference at the Stonington Hotel on Friday. President Neil McGarry said Bermuda had emphasised the "international character'' of the Consortium, which has also accredited boards in Sweden, Germany and Canada, as well as across the US.

Dr. Lynda Price, treatment co-ordinator for the National Drug Commission, said Bermuda had up to 35 counsellors who could still apply for top-level Consortium qualifications.

"This all means that people going into rehabilitation will have a far better chance of succeeding,'' she said.

Dr. Price said IC&RC also ran criminal justice training programmes for counsellors, which would be "ideal'' for Bermuda should the Island get its proposed drugs court.

Anyone who wants information about international qualifications or the Board's career programmes should call 292-3049.