Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Evaluates Halfway Houses' Role In Addiction Recovery

H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, recently visited the Halfway Houses facility. This centre supports the Anti-Narcotics Council's National Strategic Plan for Combating Narcotics (2024-2026), which His Highness chairs. The facility aims to assist individuals in overcoming addiction through a comprehensive rehabilitation model.

The Halfway Houses facility, established by the Family Care Authority (FCA) with funding from the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an, offers a range of services. These include early detection, psychological treatment, and social rehabilitation for men and women aged 18 to 65 who have completed detoxification. The project received AED20 million in community contributions, with AED10 million provided by Mubadala Investment Company.

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Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, expressed gratitude for H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit. He stated, "We deeply value the visit of His Highness Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the rehabilitation facility. It is dedicated to helping individuals who are recovering from addiction, rehabilitating them to contribute actively and productively to their community."

The facility employs evidence-based behavioural interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectal Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Trauma-based Therapy, and various family therapies. Additionally, it offers unique therapies like art and equine activities to support substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation.

The FCA has designed an integrated care model that includes three phases: Specialised Care for assessment and intensive rehabilitation; Advanced Care offering residence; and Post-Care for ongoing monitoring. This model ensures long-term family stability and sustainable recovery.

Collaborative Efforts for Community Support

Salama Al Ameemi, Director-General of Ma’an, highlighted their partnership with FCA for this project: "Our partnership with FCA for the Halfway houses project underlines our continuous efforts to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to complex social priorities through our social contracting model." This collaboration aims to achieve measurable results for the Abu Dhabi community by bringing together government entities, social enterprises, corporate investors, and individual contributors.

The facility not only focuses on medical treatment but also provides vocational rehabilitation and mental health support. By integrating various therapies and counselling services, it creates a nurturing environment that fosters healing and personal growth.

Commitment to Safety Standards

The rehabilitation centre adheres to international safety standards with a dedicated team ensuring compliance with occupational health regulations. Over 35 specialised programmes are offered by experienced professionals who implement various rehabilitation strategies for individuals recovering from addiction.

Dr. Bushra Al Mulla, Director-General of FCA, said: "We are honoured by the visit of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the facility...the houses are an essential part of our comprehensive care model to support community members struggling with addiction." She emphasised FCA’s commitment to serving community members in collaboration with strategic partners in Abu Dhabi Government.

Supporting Long-Term Recovery

The facility's comprehensive approach includes family therapy consultations addressing mental health disorders and social challenges faced during recovery. It also provides complementary programmes like meditation, mindfulness, fitness activities, spirituality sessions, social skills training, emotional intelligence development, marriage counselling programmes.

This initiative aligns with both the National Strategic Plan for Combating Narcotics (2024-2026) launched by the Anti-Narcotics Council and the Abu Dhabi Integrated Strategy to Combat Addiction (2022-2024). These collaborative efforts aim at protecting community members from drug abuse while enabling early detection of abuse cases before they develop into addiction.

The Halfway Houses facility represents a significant step in reintegrating individuals into society after recovery from addiction. It underscores that combating addiction requires collective efforts from government institutions and community members alike.

The team at this facility follows strict confidentiality policies to protect beneficiaries' privacy. Programme services can be accessed through FCA’s helpline on 800444.

With inputs from WAM