Young people struggling with drug addiction are to receive a range of additional services following a deal signed between Caritas and the Family Ministry.

Among the services agreed to is the creation of a secure unit to house the most severe users – something the judiciary and service providers have often requested in the past.

Young people with a dual diagnosis involving both addiction and mental health problems will also be better catered for, the Ministry said in a statement. The statement did not provide any further details.

The three-year deal between Caritas and the ministry is expected to yield an additional 12,000 bed nights and 5,000 hours of therapeutic care every year.
Caritas and government care workers will soon be sent overseas to learn from similar projects in other countries. They will also receive specialised training in the field, the ministry statement said.

Family Minister Michael Farrugia had words of praise for both Mons Victor Grech (“the person who drew the nation’s attention to the problems young drug addicts face in Malta”) and addiction expert Richard Muscat (“our cooperation with other countries would not have been possible without his work”).