Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
file photo
Empower Pacific has stated that it has learned a difficult lesson after losing all five of its professionally trained alcohol and other drug counselors to recruitment by other organizations overseas.
According to Chief Executive Patrick Morgam, the counselors, who had been trained through the Australian Institute of Professional Counselling, left the organization, creating a vacuum in the delivery of crucial services.
In response, Morgam says that Empower Pacific has invested in capacity-building efforts to bridge the gaps.
He says they are investing in staff so that they can provide targeted counseling services.
“So I’m glad to say that through DFET we are spending $30,000 this year just to train our counselors and this would be online training from Australia.”
Morgam adds that with support from the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, they are including online training programs to upskill their counselors
“So it’s an investment on our team of counselors and social workers. I’m glad to say that all of them have now registered on Psych wire Australia undertaking a 30 hours training to do a DBD therapy. That’s a new therapy for drugs and alcohol.”
The counseling organization says that its focus is on offering confidential, judgment-free counseling to people struggling with substance abuse, grounded in values of compassion, respect, and empowerment.
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