Whom we help
Individuals with problematic
drug use
All individuals who take different kinds of psychoactive substances
or are addicted to these substances, are eligible to receive help
from MONAR programs. We offer services to individuals of all ages,
with differing severity of addictions and differing lengths of drug
using histories.
MONAR Counseling Centers for Prevention and Therapy are offered free
of charge and provide a confidential, easily accessible service. As
assessed and necessary, an individual can be referred to a
detoxification ward, day-program or residential rehabilitation
centre.
In addition to therapeutic, assessment and referral services, the
majority of MONAR projects also offer telephone counseling, as well
as providing legal and social welfare advice. MONAR drop-in centres
also provide needle exchange services for those actively engaged in
injecting drug users.
Drug-dependent individuals can participate in residential therapy
programs offered by MONAR rehabilitation facilities. The
organisation operates thirty such centres. Each centre implements
its own program, based upon the Therapeutic Community methodology, a
generally accepted model in MONAR. Programs are adapted to cater for
the age and specific needs of individuals (centres for children and
adolescents up to 19 years old, for adults 19-25 years old, and for
adults over 25 years old). The duration of the therapeutic program
lasts between six months (short-term programs) and 18-24 months
(medium-term and long-term programs). Participation in these
rehabilitation programs is voluntary. MONAR also admits individuals
with specific legal conditions e.g. treatment by order of the court
or the juvenile court, application of alternatives to custody for
convicted for drug related crimes.
Individuals who may have undertaken drug treatment previously but
did not complete their program are offered a residential program for
relapse clients (GWAN House in Cracow).
All MONAR programs provide assistance for families and partners of
the dependent client. In several programs, particularly for
adolescents, participation of families in the treatment program is
obligatory.
People living with HIV/AIDS
All MONAR programs offer assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS.
People who are willing to undertake ARV therapy are helped by our
projects to seek access to and qualify for such therapy, which is
conducted by Regional Infections hospitals. The MONAR Association
cooperates closely with all other relevant organisation, agencies
and institutions involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and care. In
accordance with the National Program on HIV prevention, MONAR
operates activities related to education and awareness raising about
the problem of HIV, as well as prevention among different groups,
inter alia active drug users and members of their families.
Homeless people
The Movement Against Homelessness, MARKOT, a part of the MONAR
Association, offers help to homeless people in its 69 projects
across Poland. MONAR operates night lodging and reintegration
services for the homeless and poor, and provides legal, social and
psychological counseling for them. For those homeless people with
alcohol problems, MONAR operates a specialized residential unit for
alcohol addiction treatment.
A person who seeks to benefit from the help offered by a MONAR
residential program is obliged to observe the rules.
It is possible to receive clothes, meals, information, and
counselling in all MONAR projects and homeless people who have no
medical insurance can receive care at the MONAR hospital and
emergency service.
Within the Movement Against Homelessness, MARKOT, the MONAR
Association runs crisis intervention centres, residential
specialized re-integration programs for single mothers with
children, elderly people, as well as for ex-prisoners and evicted
families.
Children and Youth
The MONAR Association operates prevention and awareness-raising
programs addressing children and adolescents of different ages, by
means of promoting healthy lifestyles. MONAR Youth Clubs also
welcome parents and teachers as part of the service offered.
An integral part of activity aimed at young people is the Pure
Hearts Movement which is undertaken by pupils themselves with the
purpose of providing a prevention based peer-to-peer approach.
