COMMUNITY AGENCIES PARTNERS IN ACCESSION 25-27 November 2009, Sintra, Portugal

1. TATJANA PETRUSEVSKA Spec. Pharm. MBAVice President of Inter Ministerial Commission for Narcotic Drugs (IMCND)Head of Sector for Controlled substancesMinistry of HealthREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAE-mail: tanja.petrusevska@gmail.com COMMUNITY AGENCIES PARTNERS IN ACCESSION 25-27 November 2009, Sintra, Portugal

2. LESSONS LEARNED Experiences of the IMCND of the Republic of Macedonia and EU Agency EMCDDA

4. Membership of the European Union is the highest strategic interest and priority for the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, an objective shared by an overwhelming majority of Macedonia’s citizens and all political parties. Macedonia was the first country in South East Europe to sign a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union in 2001 in Luxemburg. Recognizing the progress that Macedonia has made in meeting the Copenhagen criteria, the European Commission recommended granting Macedonia candidate country status for membership in the EU. On 17 December 2005, the European Council decided to grant the Republic of Macedonia official candidate status for EU membership.

6. MACEDONIAN EXPERIENCES WITH EU INSTRUMENTS: • 2001 PHARE Project for synthetic drugs • 2001 PHARE Project for precursor control *Within this project we prepared Law for control of precursors in line with EU directives • 2006-2007 CARDS Project for combating drugs related criminal activities: *we prepared National Drug strategy, Action Plan, Law for control of narcotics and psychotropic substances *NFP has been established • 2008 CARDS Project with EMCDDA: ESPAD study. Need assessment report, Country overview, Info Map,

7. Colleagues Partners and Friends …..Where we were….. Where we want to be, with support of our ....

8. “United in diversity” is the motto of the European Union

9. We learned… …A diverse workforce provides talent, creativity, flexibility, world vision and strength, that we need to successfully complete Global goals…

10. Finding yourself in Diversity!

11. We learned… ppreciate articipate elebrate

12. Appreciate: physical characteristics religion marriagestatus gender family ethnicity Geographic origin language race Socioeconomic status

13. Managing Diversity Effectively Makes Good Sense • What a Diversity Provides? • A variety of points of view and approaches to problems and opportunities can improve managerial decision making. • Diverse can provide a wider range of creative ideas. • Needs of diverse stakeholders, • Factors that Influence Managerial Perception • Accommodation for Religious Beliefs • Scheduling of critical meetings, • Providing flexible time off for holy days • Perceptions, • Avoid stereotyping, • Recognize & celebrate differences, • Language translations

14. PLANNING PROCESS WE LEARNED: WE LEARNED: PLANNING CAPACITY Developed the plan (activities, programs and strategies) Implementation Mobilize the stakeholders & build capacity to address the needs Implementation of the plan Assessment Evaluation Organize the stakeholders to profile the needs and readiness Evaluate the Results and estimation of the Future support SUSTAINABILITY SYNERGY enables the total performance to be greater

15. Capacity building process 1. Assess the resources and needs

16. Capacity building process 1. Assess the resources and needs 2. Support services expansion Improve service organization and financing

17. EFFECTIVNESS IMPROVE QUALITY Evidence-based approach Trainings Education OUR VISION

18. Capacity building process 1. Assess the resources and needs 2. Support services expansion 3. Improve service organization and financing 4. Recruit, educate and retain workforce 5. Create interlocking systems of care 6. Development a standards to monitor the system

19. EMCDDA–CARDS project Objective 32 of the EU drugs action plan 2005–08 foresees that particular efforts must be made to improve assistance given to applicant countries. On 1 December 2007, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) initiated a technical cooperation and assistance project with the Western Balkans countries — comprising Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia — financed by the European Commission’s (CARDS) fund. The aim of the project was to assess the capacity of the Western Balkans countries to establish a drug information system that is compatible with the EMCDDA, and to provide direct support for data collection and reporting. During this first cooperation project with the Western Balkans, the EMCDDA and the Reitox coaches assisted the partner countries in drafting a first Country overview following the European standards.

20. WE LEARNED: COMPILATIONOF INFORMATION • The central role of networking, multidisciplinary work and care coordination • The use of reliable and valid screening instruments for assessments • What information and/or data exists that is of relevance for the implementation of the action? • International databases (scientific, legislation) • Epidemiology surveys on drug use (patterns, treatment, etc.) • Policy research (evaluation research, etc.) • Registries (e.g. clients in treatment) • Qualitative data e.g. rapid assessment information • Effectiveness/ implementation studies

21. Action Plan Criteria Ideally Actions are: • Specific (focusing on a specific problem or issue) • Measurable(the progress and outcome must be measurable through objective indicators and assessed with existing verification tools as much as possible) • Acceptable (the priority aims and actions must be in agreement with generally supported principles and contexts in society and in the Strategy) • Realistic (the priority aims and actions can be ambitious, but should be feasible within the given context, resources and timeframe of the Strategy) • Time bound(priority aims need to be reachable in 8 years time, actions in (at maximum) 4 years time)) Have: • Added value (priority aims and actions need to provide an added value to the current situation) Respect: • Proportionality (The scope and consequences of priority aims and actions are proportional compared to the problem they aim to address) Reflect: • Effectiveness & Efficiency (Priority aims and actions are expected to provide best results at the most economic cost) • Knowledge base (Priority aims and actions are based upon evidence)

22. WE LEARNED: Stakeholder involvement, i.e. in expert committees Stakeholder involvement Stakeholder involvement`` Political decision-making Stakeholder involvement Next cycle  IMCD Action plan Proposal Feedback to IMCD & discussion priorities IMCD focus: coherence & selection Feedback to IMCD & discussion Feedback on compliance (monitoring) Coordination level  Coordination Implementation level  Prioritisation within department and with executive agencies Budgeting & planning by department & executive agencies Implemen-tation by responsible department & agencies Mid-term assessment of compliance with Strategy objectives Monitoring & (external) Evaluation Annual planning process

23. We learned about mentoring process… A process by which an experienced member of an organization (the mentor) provides advice and guidance to an less experienced member (the protégé) and helps the less experienced member learn how …..

24. Reitox coaches for the Macedonian National Focal Point were Mr.Ernestas Jasaitis , National Focal Point from Lithuania and Mr. Neoklis Georgiades, Cyprus NFP And EMCDDA Team

25. We learned… Establish standards 1. Measure actual performance 2. Compare 3. Evaluate & take corrective action 4.

26. IMPUTS IMPUTS OUTCOMES PERFORMANCE Time Effort Education Experience Skills Knowledge Contributes to efficiency, Effectiveness, And the attainment of the goals Accomplishment satisfaction

27. Expected out come/impact • Objectively verifiable INDICATOR – • Clear measurement that can be directly attributed to the action. • Example • Increase coverage and availability of effective treatment for drug addiction • Indicator: Treatment Demand Indicator

28. Cooperation with EMCDDA, opened new Horizons • New approaches to maximize the analytical value of the available information; • To combine different types of information (qualitative/quantitative) and levels of analysis (local/national, regional) • Multi-methods approaches, sensitivity and timeliness, value in working together, • Strong commitment to evidence-driven policies, • We appreciate EMCDDA to continue to monitor and support research developments in Macedonia.

29. MINISTRY OF HEALTH, Sector for controlled substances coordinate with EMCDDA Institute for Public Health MINISTRY OF INTERIOR National Focal Point Centers for treatment of drug abusers Ministry for labor and social policy Clinical Centers MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION AND SCIENCE NGO sector

32. Key challenges: • To strengthen MKD NFP role as platform for knowledge exchange, • Making better use of expert networks, • Developing best practice portal, • Support the development of EMCDDA guidelines based on national and international experiences, • Working in partnership with EMCDDA to set out programs, reporting structures & instruments and quality standards, • Provided added value at national level.

33. Key challenges… • Quality and standardization of data collection and analysis, • Quality assurance of information out puts, • Development of National Information System, • Maintaining support and co-operation at national level, • Encouraging collection of standardized data with recognising national needs and deferences • Information exchange within REITOX network, • Adapting to changing requirement with limited resources.

34. To Increase common understanding of complex drug phenomenon…

36. For the next IPA in cooperation with EMCDDA we will work on: • Awareness raising for the importance of collecting reliable and comparable information on the drug situation and on response to it, • The need of evidence based policies, • The importance of providing timely and relevant information to policy makers and professionals in the field, • The need to maintain high scientific standards and procedures, • To maintain balanced approached between policy and science.

37. THANK YOU