Enhancing prevention system in Greece: Lessons learnt and challenges

Authors

Mrs Ioulia Bafi (⚑ Greece) ¹

Mrs Eftychia Georgoulopoulou (⚑ Greece) ²

Mrs MARIA KYRIAKIDOU (⚑ Greece) ³

Mrs Sotiria Makaroni (⚑ Greece) ⁴

Mrs Georgala Nikoleta (⚑ Greece) ²

1. Greek Monitoring Centre for Centre for Drugs & Alcohol – Greek REITOX Focal Point of the EMCDDA (UMHRI – Athens University Mental Health, Neurosciences & Precision Medicine Research Institute), 2. Organisation Against Drugs (OKANA), 3. Centre for Addiction Prevention and Psychosocial Health Promotion PYXIDA, 4. Centre for Addiction Prevention and Psychosocial Health Promotion PRONOI

Abstract

Prevention system in Greece is well and long established with a decentralised network of 75 Centres for Addiction Prevention and Psychosocial Health Promotion and experienced prevention experts. At coordination level both local and national authorities are involved, while professional training, monitoring and research are available for prevention policy and practice. At intervention level, although are theory-driven, most interventions are not evaluated.

In 2020-2021, the process of adopting the European Drug Prevention Quality Standards (EDPQS) was initiated with the revision of the Prevention Centres’ funding process and their local/regional work plan based on EDPQS criteria and toolkits. EDPQS criteria were adopted and EDPQS toolkits were adapted in existing forms and tools. In addition, in 2020, all Prevention Centres’ coordinators were trained on EDPQS in a four-day workshop.

Furthermore, since 2020 the European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) manual and training is available in Greek and a number of EUPC trainings have taken place, with the participation of staff involved in decision making in prevention at local and national level. Until 2023, 6 training cycles (both elementary and advanced modules) had been run with more than 90 participants.

This presentation describes opportunities and challenges of the Greek prevention system as well as recent efforts for enhancing its quality aspects using two important toolkits endorsed by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): the EDPQS and the EUPC. In addition, the main challenges will be discussed in the process of promoting quality in a prevention system using the Greek paradigm.