The Government is exploring how it can help improve the financial situation at Caritas, which has been running at a deficit of €250,000 for the past three years.

Caritas founder Mgr Victor Grech said the voluntary organisation needed more than €1 million a year to run its four residential drug rehabilitation homes and other support services.

The bulk of the money was provided by the Government and the rest was collected through fundraising.

But in recent years the organisation had been forced to take bank loans and was struggling to make ends meet, he said, adding that he did not want to reveal too many details.

The time has come to ensure continuity and that Caritas does not end with me

On Thursday, during the graduation ceremony of people who completed their rehabilitation programme, Mgr Grech said Caritas risked becoming unsustainable and called on the Government to help with funding.

He also announced he would be retiring from his adminis­trative role as director but would remain involved on a consultative basis.

“This does not mean I will abandon the service… I can never completely abandon something like this, which was born with me. But the time has come to ensure there is continuity and that Caritas does not end with me,” he said, adding he will be succeeded by his assistant Mgr Carmelo Farrugia.

Last year, 694 people sought help through Caritas, marking a seven per cent increase compared to the previous year and a 34 per cent rise since 2004.

Mgr Grech said that, while services and expenses increased, the level of support from the Government remained unchanged.

A Social Solidarity Ministry spokeswoman said the organisation received more than €500,000 a year from the Government.

“The ministry is at present discussing what can be done to improve Caritas’s financial situation,” she said.

Mariella Dimech, a former coordinator at Caritas, said sustainability had always been an issue.

She believes it is time to start scientifically studying the outcome and success rate of rehabilitation programmes offered by various organisations.

This would establish whether services are effective and help direct policy and target investment.

Ms Dimech, a psychotherapist by profession, referred to a study she carried out a year ago at the hospital detox centre where she followed the progress of 80 people for a year.

The results, she said, were “favourable and the majority did improve”.

Marilyn Clark, who chairs the National Commission on the Abuse of Drugs, Alcohol and Other Dependencies, said that the services offered by Caritas were very valuable and based on many years of experience.

“These services serve a very important role and we should do everything to ensure they do survive,” Prof. Clark said.

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