On January 26, 2024, within the framework of the XXXII International Christmas Educational Readings, the conference hall of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University hosted the section "Helping drug addicts: successes and failures of the past, the image of the future". The forum was attended by 117 people - clergymen and laymen involved in helping drug addicts in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health of Russia, reports Patriarchy.ru.
Bishop Mefodiy of Kamensk and Kamyshlovsk, Bishop of Kamensk and Kamyshlovsk, headed the work of the section.
During the section, Bishop Methodius voiced the Church's anti-drug statistics. At present, the Russian Orthodox Church has 245 Orthodox structures for helping drug addicts: 19 resocialization centers, 15 outpatient programs, 68 counseling centers - primary reception rooms, 89 support groups for addicts and co-dependents, and 49 centers of the main stage of rehabilitation.
"We have found in the Church an answer to the challenge of drug addiction. This church practice - working with different people, re-educating people - is two thousand years old, and our church's technologies for working with drug addicts show excellent results," Bishop Methodius noted.
He also emphasized that at present, given the great changes in Russian legislation on working with drug addicts, it is important to build relationships between the Church and the state in this area as productively as possible.
During the section, the head of the Coordination Center for Combating Drug Addiction also expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Bauman University for the fact that the university has been hosting the annual anti-drug section for more than 10 years.
In turn, Alexei Mironov, Head of the Laboratory of Psychological Support of Students, Associate Professor of the Department of "Health-Saving Technologies and Adaptive Physical Education" of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, welcomed the participants of the section. He noted the importance of preventive work with students and especially emphasized the aspect of spiritual and moral traditional Russian values. "This is the basis that is put into the soul of our student. And such work is carried out in alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church, here we are spiritually united", - Alexei Mironov added.
The report on the drug situation in Russia was made by Vyacheslav Vyacheslav, Head of the Department of Interagency Cooperation of the Main Department for Drug Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Baturin. He noted that the problems of illicit drug trafficking and consumption, the spread of drug addiction and drug-related crime pose a real challenge to Russian society, but the drug situation remains generally stable.
He paid special attention to the importance of forming an anti-drug worldview, which requires coordinated effective methods in terms of prevention and education, including among minors.
"Cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church helps to educate a society intolerant to drugs, to achieve positive results in the implementation of educational projects aimed at preventing drug use and anti-drug education of young people. An important vector for the development of cooperation is raising awareness of minors and their parents about the risks associated with drug use, their consequences, and the creation of informational educational anti-drug content", - said Vyacheslav Baturin.
He also added that Bishop Methodius directly took an active part in the research work within the interdepartmental working group of the State Anti-Drug Committee, and noted the project "School of Strong Family" realized by the Kamensk diocese. "This is a vivid example of effective preventive work with schoolchildren, teachers and parents," Vyacheslav Baturin added.
The materials of this project were included in the program of professional development courses for municipal employees organized by Glavkom on the additional professional program "Organizational and legal support for the activities of anti-drug commissions in municipalities of the Russian Federation". Last year, more than 120 specialists from 60 regions of Russia familiarized themselves with the project.
Larisa Semenova, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Protection and Social Services of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Russia, made a report on the implementation of Federal Law No. 504-FZ of December 5, 2022 "On Amendments to Article 54 of the Federal Law "On Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances". This law for the first time defined the concept of "social rehabilitation" of drug addicts. The Ministry of Labor of Russia is authorized to provide such rehabilitation.
"This work is new for us, and its success largely depends on how well the interaction between the authorities and public organizations, including organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church, will be established," said Larisa Semenova.
On saving the nation as the main goal of anti-drug work Elena Sheshko, Head of the Department of Medical Care for Children, Maternity Services and Public Health of the Russian Ministry of Health, said in her report.
"Despite favorable statistics on the number of people with mental and behavioral disorders associated with drug use (a decrease over five years by 8%, and for adolescents - by 25%) and the number of people who used drugs for the first time and came to the attention of doctors (a decrease over five years by 30%, and for adolescents - by 20%), there has been an increase in deaths due to drug poisoning," said Elena Sheshko. During her speech she expressed solidarity with the work of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of assistance to drug addicts and readiness to hear proposals to improve the provision of medical care to patients with drug addiction disorders.
Alexander Prostokishin, author of the social educational project "Save Children from Addiction" and member of the Russian Union of Journalists, made a report on the role of mass media in educational activities and prevention of addictive behavior.
Also during the anti-drug section, specialists in church assistance to drug addicts made presentations.
About the implementation of the online training program "Favor School of Counselors" to work with addicts and their relatives, the first stage of which was recently completed by 35 students. The head of the Coordination Center for Combating Drug Addiction and Alcoholism of the St. Petersburg Diocese, head of the addiction assistance program "Favor" Archpriest Maxim Pletnev said.
The positive results of the group spiritual and moral exercise "Commandment of the Week" with addicted children and their families were shared by Priest Alexander Semyonov, Chairman of the Department for Combating Drug Addiction and Alcoholism of the Vyborg Diocese, head of the day care center "Resurrection" of the network of anti-drug centers "Abode of Healing".
Yuri Cherkassky, coordinator of the service to help former participants of SWO and their families, assistant to the head of the St. Anthony Smirnitsky Charitable Foundation of Voronezh, made a report "SWO and drug addiction".
Alexei Artemiev, head of the legal service of the Izhevsk diocese, deputy head of the diocesan charity department, and member of the Public Chamber of the Udmurt Republic, shared his experience of successful interaction with state and local authorities.
At the end of the first part of the forum, the head of the Coordination Center for Combating Drug Addiction presented the active participants of the church's anti-drug activities with certificates of the chairman of the Synodal Department for Charity, Bishop Panteleimon of Vereisky for his personal participation in the works of charity and help to neighbors.
The second part of the anti-drug section was held in the format of a round table: forum participants shared their experience and problems and asked questions to the speakers.
Each participant was offered printed methodological material on the church's help to drug addicts.
Currently, to support drug addicts and their relatives there is a single federal phone number of the Church's help for drug addicts 8 (800) 600-16-93, where you can get advice, find a suitable center for overcoming addiction or rehabilitation program. All information about the various help centers and anti-drug activities of dioceses can also be found on the website of the Coordination Center for Combating Drug Addiction of the Synodal Department for Charity.
The anti-drug section was organized by the Coordination Center for Combating Drug Addiction of the Synod Department for Charity with the support of the Charitable Foundation of Righteous John of Kronstadt, using funds from the Russian President's grant for the development of civil society - the project "Know Yourself - Teach Others".
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