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New Substance Use Treatment Programme successfully piloted in Armenia

Armenia has taken a major step forward in strengthening rehabilitation of vulnerable offenders through successfully piloting a new Substance Use Treatment Programme from June to October 2025.

Designed as a cognitive-behavioural, motivational, and rehabilitation-oriented group intervention, the Programme was tested in two groups in the Probation Service office in Yerevan and in Sevan, Vardashen, and later Armavir penitentiary institutions. A total of 27 participants completed the structured 10-session course, aimed at helping individuals with substance use challenges to better understand the links between thoughts, emotions, and actions while also strengthening motivation for positive change.

Six facilitators, psychologists from the Probation Service, Penitentiary Service, and the "Centre for the implementation of legal education and rehabilitation programmes" SNCO, delivered the programme after completing specialised Training of Trainers in April 2025. Throughout the pilot, they received continuous supervision and expert guidance provided by the Council of Europe project, ensuring smooth implementation and real-time problem-solving. Participants appreciated the practical value of the groupwork, and the supportive atmosphere created by facilitators.

The results of this pilot support nationwide roll-out of the programme, proving its validity, cultural relevance, and strong potential for institutionalisation. This step represents a significant shift toward human-centred, evidence-based rehabilitation, illustrating how psychological approaches can effectively complement traditional punitive frameworks.

 The Substance Use Treatment Programme was developed in 2024 and is implemented within the Project “Further Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia” funded by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026, reinforcing the shared commitment of the Council of Europe and the Republic of Armenia to achieve modern and effective rehabilitation practices across probation and penitentiary settings.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 2 DECEMBER 2025
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

Building upon the results achieved from the implementation of the Projects “Support the scaling-up of the probation service in Armenia” and “Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia”, the Project “Further Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia” financed by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023 – 2026 assists national authorities in facilitating the use of probation services in the country, thus enhancing community safety and the fair administration of justice.

It is implemented in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice and State Probation Service, as well as other national stakeholders, including civil society organisations active in the area of probation.

The envisaged changes will support the Armenian authorities to align the legislation and practice with Council of Europe standards, such us, inter alia Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)1 on the Council of Europe Probation Rules and Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)3 on the European Rules on community sanctions and measures.

 Start date: 1 January 2025

 Duration: 24 months

 Funding: EUR 500,000,  Donors contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026 

Contact person: Mr Arman Poghosyan, Senior Project Officer

 

Who benefits from the project?
  • Ministry of Justice
  • State Probation Service staff
  • Penitentiary Service staff
  • Centre for the Implementation of Legal Education and Rehabilitation Programmes SNCO staff
  • judges and other legal professionals
  • general public
How does the project work?

The Project will follow the main Council of Europe principles throughout its intervention.

Namely, the Probation Service shall aim to reduce reoffending by establishing positive relationships with probationers in order to supervise, guide and assist them and to promote their successful social inclusion. All interventions will be in line with Council of Europe human rights standards and shall have due regard to the dignity, health, safety and well-being of probationers, and it must take full account of the individual characteristics, circumstances and needs of each specific offender in order to ensure that each case is dealt with justly and fairly. Probation service shall work in partnership with other public or private organisations, civil society organisations and local communities to promote the social inclusion of probationers. Co-ordinated and complementary inter-agency and inter-disciplinary work is necessary to undertake to meet often complex needs of probationers and to enhance community safety.

What do we expect to achieve?
  • strengthening the Probation Service through necessary tools and capacity building interventions-new training programme will be developed and support will be provided to enhance E-probation and application of risk and needs assessment tool as well as pre-release reports;
  • improving inter-agency cooperation -regular inter-agency information sharing and coordination meetings as well as workshops will be conducted to ensure effective implementation of the Probation functions;
  • improving resocialisation and rehabilitation measures - support will be provided to strengthen the pool of rehabilitation and resocialisation programmes and ensure coordination with the key stakeholders;
  • Improving regulatory framework on the Probation Service in line with the international standards and best practices in Europe-technical support and expertise will ensure that the pending legislative initiatives are assessed against the CoE standards.
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