Bauko, Mountain Province – The Department of Health (DOH)-managed Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center-Mountain Province (DATRC-MP) is poised to significantly enhance its client services. The facility, currently providing limited services, anticipates receiving a permit for expanded operations, including an in-patient dormitory, by 2024. This development was shared by Randy Samonte, the supervising administrative officer of DATRC-MP, during a briefing on Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Samonte expressed optimism about obtaining the necessary permit from the DOH central office before year’s end. This permit will enable the facility to offer comprehensive services beyond its current scope. The DATRC-MP currently serves clients from Benguet, Mountain Province, and Ifugao, with the closest alternative DOH-managed facility located in San Fabian, Pangasinan.
The center’s current services include technical assistance on substance abuse prevention and mental health, proactive advocacies, drug dependency examinations, and monitoring drug testing. The anticipated expansion will allow for a broader range of accredited services. These will encompass community advocacies, aftercare programs, technical assistance, management of medical emergencies and minor surgical procedures, treatment for co-occurring psychiatric conditions, psychological testing, therapeutic counseling, case management, group therapy sessions, physical assessments, health education, drug testing, nutrition management for drug dependents, family intervention and psychoeducation, life skills and livelihood training, spiritual and religious activities, and comprehensive intake and psychosocial assessment and counseling.
Samonte also highlighted the center’s aim to extend its reach to Kalinga, Apayao, and Abra following the permit approval. The DATRC-MP, which began operations in the first quarter of this year, is the first and only government facility in the Cordillera region catering to persons who used drugs (PWUDs). It is currently operating at 70 percent capacity, fulfilling its mandate on a one-hectare land area within the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital. The center employs approximately 42-45 staff members.