Overview
In collaboration with the National Centre for Mental Health and Fight Against Drugs (CNSMLA), the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Social Work, together with other stakeholders, is developing a continuing education curriculum as part of a Train-the-Trainees programme.
The initiative will begin by training 20 to 25 multidisciplinary health professionals through a blended learning approach combining on-site instruction, international exchange, practical modules, and digital learning components. Supported by a structured mentoring system, these trainees will design tailored curricula for diverse health professional groups. This cascade training model empowers the initial trainees to serve as multipliers, with the potential to reach approximately 1,000 additional professionals across Romania. In doing so, the programme contributes to strengthening national capacity in addiction prevention and treatment, while promoting the long-term sustainability and quality of public health services in this field.
This activity is part of the health programme “Increasing the Capacities for the Prevention and Treatment of Addiction in Children and Adolescents in Romania” of the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme. It aims to strengthen structural and institutional capacities to address substance use disorders among children, adolescents, and young adults aged 10 to 20. The programme is built around three interrelated objectives. First, it seeks to consolidate and strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration and integrated practices in the field of addiction prevention and treatment. Second, it aims to improve awareness, knowledge, and health literacy on substance use and addiction among adolescents and young adults. Third, it focuses on enhancing the skills and competencies of key health professionals while also strengthening the technical capacities of selected mental health centres to expand and improve prevention and treatment services. The Train-the-Trainees initiative contributes directly to this third objective by supporting sustainable workforce development and promoting the implementation of evidence-based approaches in addiction prevention and care.
The programme is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) under Switzerland’s Second Contribution to selected EU Member States. It aims to improve public health outcomes, reduce social and economic disparities, and strengthen bilateral partnerships.
