Professional and administrative co-ordination of preventive-consulting service providers working within the frame of diversion scheme

On the base of assumption that it is not reasonable to use full rigor of criminal law in the case of certain drug users and might be more effective not to isolate them within the society but to »divert« them to the right direction with professionals' help and counselling, since 2003 there is opportunity also for not addict drug users to avoid the most strict punishment. Subsection (1) of Section 283 in the Penal Code defines cases when no punishment shall apply on the ground of misuse of narcotic drugs if provided the perpetrator in question is able to produce an official document before he is sentenced in the first instance to verify that he has been treated for drug addiction for at least six consecutive months or that he has participated in a drug addiction program or a preventive-consulting service . Detailed regulation of the process of diversion is ruled by joint Decree of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (42/2008).

In summer 2003 the Ministry of Children, Youth and Sport Affairs (today Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour) invited proposals from non-governmental and health care organizations to provide preventive-consulting service. Co-ordination of the programme was delegated to the National Institute for Drug Prevention. Since 2009 NDI also contributes to review tenders for the service and invitation of applications became continuous.

The „diversion work group” in the NDI cares for organization and co-ordination of preventive-consulting service within the frame of diversion scheme, including the following tasks:

• invites proposals for preventive-consulting service (formal and content review)
• harmonizes activities of different organizations, partners working on the diversion scheme (organization and initiation of conferences and round table discussions on local and national level)
• counselling and communicating with preventive-consulting service providers
• co-ordination of providers' administrative tasks and their on the spot financial control
• follows up legal environment and its changes, contributes to legislation related to diversion scheme, evaluates legal background on national level
• evaluation and analysis of diversion scheme as a frame
• international communication related to diversion and contribution to international projects
• professional information and communication on national level about newest developments and statistics
• initiation and co-ordination of professional development programmes.