Changes in Portugal's Drugs Monitoring Agencies

"The current economic crisis that Europe is experiencing, with direct implications on our country, led to the adoption of measures of rationalization and containment of public expenditure, which resulted in the reduction of human and financial resources compromising the performance of the mission of IDT, I.P.
"Also, on the second semester of 2011, the activity of IDT, I.P. was defined by the instability caused by the announcement of the governmental decision to extinguish the IDT, I.P.1, on the context of the PREMAC (Plano de Redução e Melhoria da Administração Central) and the creation of a new structure within the Ministry of Health, the SICAD – Directorate General for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies, in charge of planning and monitoring programs of reduction of use of psychoactive substances, prevention of addictive behaviours and reducing dependencies. The implementation of interventions will lie on the competence of the regional health administrations (ARS).
"The mission of SICAD is to promote the reduction of use of psychoactive substances, the prevention of addictive behaviours and the reduction of dependencies.
"SICAD has the following assignments:
"a) Support the member of Government responsible for the elaboration of the national strategy and of policies for reducing the use of psychoactive substances, prevention of addictive behaviours and reduction of dependencies and their evaluation;
"b) Plan and evaluate the programs of prevention, risk and harm reduction and treatment of psychoactive substances, addictive behaviours and dependencies, namely the definition of standards, methodologies and requirements to ensure quality;
"c) Plan the intervention on addictive behaviours and dependencies, trough a network of primary care, centres of integrated responses and in patient or outpatient facilities, depending on the severity of the addiction or the use of psychoactive substances;
"d) Develop and promote the scientific research on psychoactive substances, addictive behaviours and dependencies, maintaining an information system on drugs and addictions phenomenon;
"e) Develop effective mechanisms for planning and coordinating the definition of policies for the interventions on addictive behaviours and dependencies;
"f) Perform diagnosis of the needs for interventions at national level, define priorities and the type of intervention to develop;
"g) Define the technical and normative guidelines for the intervention in addictive behaviours and dependencies;
"h) Promote training in psychoactive substances, addictive behaviours and dependencies;
"i) Ensure the collection, treatment and dissemination of data and information from public and private bodies with intervention in psychoactive substances, addictive behaviours and dependencies;
"j) Ensure international representation in its field of expertise and specific assignments, without prejudice of the competences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as ensuring the obligations as National Focal Point of the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction of European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction, coordinating with Directorate General of Health, as the body responsible for the international relations of the Ministry of Health;
"k) Provide technical and administrative support and ensure the necessary structures for the functioning of the Commissions for Dissuasion;
"l) Define the requirements for the licensing of private units providing health care in the field of dependencies and addictive behaviours.
"The decision to extinguish IDT,I.P. coincided with the end of the cycle of the national policy on drugs and alcohol, initiated with the evaluation of the National Plan on Drugs and Drug Addiction 2005-2012 (PNCDT) and the National Plan for Reducing Alcohol Related Problems 2010-2012 (PNRPLA) – See chapter 1.3."