System of the Care of Young Problem Drug Users and Dependent Individuals in the Czech Republic

Overview

The author deals with possibilities of differentiated care of problem drug users and dependent individuals,especially the adolescent youth. A particular attention is devoted to characterization of individual stages in theprocess of evolution of the drug problem in young clients. It appears that when the clients (patients) are placedinto a suitable therapeutic programme, it proved to be useful to provide what they consider useful for themselves.In connection with changing situation in the different stages of evolving drug career - beginning with experimentingthrough a recreation drug use, the problem use up to drug dependence. The assisting/helping worker cannot decidethe therapy for the client, but can contribute to finding acceptable aims of the common work by giving attentionto his situation and taking into account his real condition and possibilities. In the system of care of the young clientsit is necessary to select such services, which are integrated, effective, serving to unequivocally defined goal andcorresponding to the needs of the care users.

Key words:
the problem drug user, individual dependent on addicting substances, drug career, motivation forintervention (client’s order), helping worker, therapeutic programme, system of therapeutic care