A two-day working group meeting was held to support the update of the National Preventive Mechanism’s Monitoring Tool to address drug addictions in penitentiary institutions in Georgia. The WG meeting was attended by representatives from the Public Defender’s Office, including both the national Preventive Mechanism Department and the Special Preventive Group.

Members of the WG discussed the recommendations proposed by the Council of Europe international consultant to improve the existing tool being used during monitoring visits. As a result, the tool was accordingly updated, allowing National Preventive Mechanism to carefully assess, among others, the practice of screening for substance use and dependency upon admission, timely treatment of withdrawal crisis, access to Opioid Agonist Treatment, psychosocial services offered to inmates with substance use disorders, as well as continuity of care after release.

This workshop was organised in the framework of the project “Enhancement of Human Rights and Health-Care Support to the Penitentiary System”. The Project is funded by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia.