Welcome to ISSUP Italy
ISSUP Italy, hosted by the Association “Casa Rosetta” (ACFR) was formally established in June 2020. The idea of setting up a National Chapter underwent a lengthy period of incubation, during which the idea was gradually developed to become a concrete project. In fact, the initial idea of hosting an ISSUP National Chapter in Italy, stemmed during the Second International Workshop on Drug Demand Reduction, organized by ISSUP Brazil, in Campinas, from 7 to 11 December, 2016. Setting up the National Chapter seemed opportune given ACFR substantial experience in the field of anti-drug campaigning, of substance prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and of training and Continuing Medical Education of professionals working in this field.
In the same year, ACFR participated in the UNGASS 2016 meeting in New York delivering a Statement on World Drug Problems and, in December 2018, the Association took part in the Third International ISSUP Workshop on Drug Demand Reduction in Nairobi. During the Workshop, Father Vincenzo Sorce, Founder and President of ACFR, gave a lecture on ‘Spirituality and Therapy’.
After the premature death of Father Vincenzo Sorce in March 2019, ACFR continued to pursue the objective of establishing the ISSUP Italy National Chapter under the leadership of the new President, Dr. Franco Giorgio De Cristoforo. For this reason, representatives of the Association participated in the National Chapter Meeting in Vienna, from 2 to 4 July 2019, during the International Conference on Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care. Following the Conference, the process for establishing the National Chapter was accelerated.
ACFR fully adheres to ISSUP’s ethical code and to its founding principles and through the ISSUP National Chapter it intends to:
- Develop a national network of professionals working in the field of substance prevention, use, treatment and rehabilitation, joining both ISSUP Global and the National Chapter in Italy
- Promote an evidence-based and quality approach to drug demand reduction
- Advocate for a special attention to be paid to the spiritual factors influencing the lives of men and women, from substance use to rehabilitation
- Share knowledge at the community level (family, students, teachers, religious leaders, etc…)
- Involve families in the various phases of treatment and rehabilitation
- Provide high quality training, Continuing Medical Education and capacity building, grounded on evidence-based policy and practice
- Promote national and local events
- Promote member’s participation in the ISSUP events
- Advocate on the growing need to humanize the treatment towards a more gender-orientated medicine
- Foster communication and networking and the creation of a vibrant virtual community
The National Chapter is led by Giovanna Garofalo with support from a wider Executive Committee.