Ms Bernadette Ellis, Registrar of the Health Professions Council (HPC), attended the 5^th Inaugural International Centre for Certification Education of Addiction Professionals (ICCE) Commission Meeting which was held July 6-9 in Bangkok, Thailand. The International Society for Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP) Inaugural Meeting and International Workshop was also held during this time. ISSUP is a global association of practice and research specialists that advocates for substance use prevention, treatment of substance use and recovery. The Colombo Plan, along with many international organizations inclusive of the Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Department of State, the local Thai organizing partners of the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment (PMINDAT) and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), form the Society.

Ms Ellis was chosen as The Bahamas’ representative due to her affiliation with Health Professionals in her role as Registrar. Ms Ellis delivered a report on the first Training-Of-Trainers Universal Training Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC) that commenced October, 2014, for national trainers in The Bahamas under the ICCE. She outlined the history of drug abuse and addiction in The Bahamas, the efforts made by the various multi-faceted government and non-government agencies, as well as programmes and treatment plans that The Bahamas has established over the past three decades in response to this challenge.

Ms Ellis was appointed ICCE Commissioner, a first for The Bahamas and the Caribbean, along with representatives from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ghana, Laos, Liberia, Myanmar South Africa, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Her attendance at the Meeting was facilitated by a grant from the US Embassy (INL) and the ICCE (Colombo Plan).

Formed in 2012, the ICCE Commission is the policy making body that oversees and ensures the highest quality and standard of the ICCE certification training initiatives. The Colombo Plan ICCE, formed on February 16^th, 2009, is headed by Director, Mr Tay Bian How. It has developed a comprehensive certified training curriculum based on the ‘each one, teach one’ model. The Programme is one of the leading global training and credentialing centres for drug demand reduction professionals in 40 countries around the world. It is community based and geared towards training interested NGOs and civil society personnel to recognize and alleviate the social issues related to Substance Use Disorders. To date, 22 addiction professionals have taken part in four training cycles which will be followed by a Refresher Course in preparation for the ICAP examination and credentialing.

Ms Ellis expressed her thanks to the US Embassy and ICCE for the opportunity to represent The Bahamas at the meeting and stated that “this was a fabulous opportunity to interact with persons in the field and to learn more about this valuable training programme which is certainly needed in the community. The persons who have been trained will have a positive effect on the many persons dealing with the difficulties of their addiction.”

For further information on the UTC Programme, please log on to the Centre’s website at www.colombo-plan.org