TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 172

Sir,

UMELCO

DRAFT SPEECH BY DR HON HO KAM FAI, OBE, JP LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 7 MAY 1986

-

DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES

(AMENDMENT) BILL 1986

to

In the treatment of drug addicts the most crucial phase of work is to assist them, after their release from treatment

to adapt centres,

the the pressure arising from living in community, holding a job and associating with family members and friends. To this end, after-care services are provided to render

to and counselling supervision,

the detoxified drug

abusers.

guidance

The most important amendment proposed in the Bill, as I see it, is to shorten the minimum period of detention in order to maximize the effect of aftercare. The intention is to reduce to the minimum the chances of relapse and is based on experience

in that

shorter the time spent

mild

the cases

inside the

treatment centre the lower the chances of relapse. This approach is in line with the current rehabilitation practice

practice for drug abusers, and is therefore worthy of our support.

However, the success of aftercare depends to a large extent on the quality of supervision. If the proposed amendments legislated, it is estimated that there would be 100-odd detoxified drug abusers released

therefore

are

I for supervision.

>

urge the Administration to assure this

assure this Council that the training

and

the

Services

supervision

strength Department

of after-care

would

officers

be adequate to

and counselling services.

needed

in the

Correctional

the provide

If there are

any

shortfalls in manpower, additional resources must be allocated to remedy them; otherwise the enactment of

the enactment of the proposed amendments to the Bill will be a fruitless exercise.

0038D

With these comments, Sir, I support the motion.

UMELCO