Community agency paper - Essay Example

Therefore, various countries and states have initiated actions through enforcing particular measures in order to control the demand and supply of drugs and substances. This has led to the formation of various community agencies involved in substance and drug use or abuse prevention or treatment. In Kenya, the government formed an Anti Narcotic Unit, the National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse, under the department of police force to offer prevention or treatment services of drug and substance abuse (National Academic Advising Association, 1998).

The National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) was formed due to the problem of substance and drug abuse. The mission of the agency is to harmonize and coordinate the activities of substance and drug prevention in order to create awareness with a goal of achieving attitude and behavior change and resultantly contribute to the vital reduction on supply and demand as well as abuse of drugs and chemical substances. The agency has its focus on the following theoretical basis and activities: Coordinating the activities of organizations and individuals that are pertinent to the campaign against substance and drug abuse Initiating campaigns on public education against substance and drug abuse Developing the plans of action in order to control drug and substance abuse among the populations in schools and other institutions of learning Sensitizing the parents on the substance and drug abuse and the impacts of their responsibilities as the role models Initiating rehabilitation and treatment programs in order to counter addiction (Carol, 2008).

The resultant damage from both the illicit and licit substances and drugs of abuse to the community, economy and labor force has remained an issue and concern to most governments. The Kenyan Government has fought this by formation of NACADA and promulgation of various acts supporting the campaign against drug and substance abuse. NACADA adopted the line of intervention that encompasses a comprehensive education for both short term and long term empowerment of the general public in order to counter the drug and substance abuse.

A close collaboration exists in the fight against substance and drug abuse among key stakeholders such as the media, the government departments, spiritual leaders, institutional leadership, relevant professionals, non-governmental organizations, and parents associations. As NACADA recognizes the currently instituted measures being instituted in order to combat substance and drug abuse at the international scene. The agency lays much emphasis on societal conscious solutions and influences cultural and economic environment.

The measures of intervention by NACADA is aimed at achieving behavioral and attitude positive change among young adults, youths and the general public in such circumstance (Leary, 1997).. The National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) conducts various programs in carrying out its campaigns against drug abuse. Some of the agency’s programs include: increasing public awareness, working with learning and other institu