Ecolink Institute opens UTC training in Hindi

Ecolink Institute starts UTC training in Hindi

Mangalore: The Mangalore based Ecolink Institute of well-being, an approved training provider of the Colombo Plan has started a special training on “Understanding addiction and its treatment models” in Hindi language from 6 July 2022.

The training as per the Universal Treatment Curriculum will be imparted in collaboration with the Drug Advisory Program of the Colombo Plan as a certificate program.

V.V.Lakshmi Narayana,  former Additional Director of General of Police, Mumbai, and the chief guest for the opening ceremony inaugurated the training and emphasized the need for more trained professionals in the field.

“By training them in Hindi, more grass root level workers and counselors can be reached out with capacity building in addiction management”, said the veteran police officer who now serves as a social activist. He said addiction professionals also should be actively involved in prevention programs as the youths are at risk.

He has also offered to work in close coordination with Ecolink Institute in providing training to selected teachers from educational institutions in Telengana and Andhra Pradesh in South India. Earlier, he released a book written by Jyoti Sharma Bharadwaj, an Ecolink member and titled “Yellow Blossoms”, which narrated the stories of addiction.

Nearly 30 participants from Hindi-speaking states are attending the two months training in Zoom platform. Most of the participants are counselors from private treatment facilities.

The training sessions include theory and practicals and cover topics like introduction to psychoactive substances, the science of addiction, classification of drugs, social stigma, treatment overview, recovery and recovery capitals, continuum of care, co-occurring disorders, counseling skills, and ethical guidelines.

Aditi Ghanekar, the key trainer in the Hindi section coordinated the opening day proceedings and conducted a pretest. She said the main purpose of the training is to equip the therapists with basic knowledge and skills in addiction management.

Dr.Thomas Scaria, the Director of the Institute emphasized the need for capacity-building programs in regional languages to reach out to more people involved in addiction management.

Ramya R, president of the alumni association and the head of the Research Wing of the Institute compered the program along with Dr.J.S Dhillon, an addiction specialist from New Delhi.