Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality is implementing a multi-faceted approach to tackling substance addiction, which poses a threat to public health and the future of society. The Substance Addiction Counselling and Training Centre, established under the Department of Social Services in January 2025 and actively receiving clients since April, brings together referrals to treatment, psychosocial support, preventive outreach work and activities aimed at raising public awareness.

Individualised Treatment Plans for Each Client

Providing information on the Centre’s structure and approach to service provision, Social Worker Berfin Ayyıldız said that its team consists of two psychologists, two social workers and two support staff. Ayyıldız explained that, where resources allow, the Centre also responds to people seeking support for technology, alcohol and gambling addictions, although its work focuses primarily on substance addiction.

Noting that specialised work in the field of substance addiction is more beneficial for both clients and Centre staff, Ayyıldız said that following an application, initial assessments are carried out by psychologists and social workers.

“We identify what the client needs and the factors that expose them to high-risk environments and lead them towards substance use. We then develop an individual treatment plan tailored to the client,” Ayyıldız said.

Support Provided to Clients and Their Families

Emphasising that tackling addiction involves more than simply stopping substance use, Ayyıldız said that abstinence alone does not amount to recovery. She explained that the Centre works with clients on how to sustain their recovery and also involves their families and relatives in the process.

Ayyıldız noted that services are provided on a voluntary basis and that compulsory treatment has limited long-term effectiveness. She said that anyone wishing to receive treatment can access the Centre’s services either by making an appointment or by attending the Centre directly.

165 Applications, 93 AMATEM Admissions and More Than 1,500 Sessions

Ayyıldız explained that every client has different social and economic circumstances and that individual treatment and follow-up plans are therefore developed for each person. She said the Centre provides rapid support in crisis and emergency situations, acting as a link between clients and treatment services, while also meeting necessary testing-kit requirements to facilitate access to treatment.

Sharing figures on the Centre’s work, Ayyıldız said: “We have received 165 applications since April. These 165 people are not simply a number; they are residents who have come to us saying, ‘I want treatment’ or ‘Someone close to me needs treatment.’ We have arranged direct admission to AMATEM treatment centres for 93 of them and provided the necessary support. To date, we have also conducted more than 1,500 counselling sessions.”

Ayyıldız emphasised that referring clients to treatment and helping them remain engaged with the treatment system is difficult but essential work. She added that tackling addiction is not a responsibility that municipalities can shoulder alone and stressed that public institutions and civil society organisations must also form part of the system.

Residential Treatment Centre for Women Planned

Drawing attention to the difficulties faced by women seeking treatment, Ayyıldız said there are insufficient residential treatment facilities for women across Türkiye. She noted that this can lead women to disengage from the treatment system and lose motivation, emphasising the importance of developing a treatment system specifically designed for women.

Ayyıldız said that Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality is planning to open a residential treatment centre for women and that preparations are under way. She added that the work will not be limited to a single centre, with plans to establish additional counselling centres within both the Metropolitan Municipality and district municipalities.

‘The Most Important Thing Is to Prevent Children from Ever Starting to Use Drugs’

Providing information on the Centre’s prevention and protection work, Social Worker Lokman Amaç said that while treating people who have begun using drugs is critically important, the primary aim is to prevent children and young people from ever starting to use them.

“It is very important for someone who has started using drugs to stop. But even more important is ensuring that those who have never used them never start,” Amaç said.

Amaç explained that the work is carried out at three main levels: children, families and the wider community. Rather than speaking directly to children about substance use, activities designed for them focus on healthy living skills.

He said workshops are organised particularly for children aged 12 to 15 to help them make informed decisions, understand the risks associated with the internet, make positive choices about friendships and learn to cope with stress. Amaç explained that these activities are delivered through games, with the aim of encouraging children to think and assess situations before making decisions and to be able to say “no” when necessary.

Mobile Outreach Teams to Visit Homes Across the City

Amaç said that parent education is a key part of the programme, helping families recognise changes in their children at an early stage and seek professional support. He added that municipal field staff have also been brought into the Municipality’s work to tackle addiction.

Municipal staff have received training on recognising issues related to substance use and directing families seeking support to the appropriate services. Amaç said mobile outreach teams would begin fieldwork across the city in the coming period.

“We want to reach every household in Diyarbakır. Through our mobile teams, we will reach out to families across the city to explain what substance use is and what we can do to prevent addiction,” Amaç said.

Amaç added that the outreach work would be supported by information leaflets, posters, billboards and public service announcements, with the aim of raising public awareness of addiction to the highest possible level.

‘First We Must Become Aware, Then We Must Act Together’

Amaç stressed that tackling addiction is a social responsibility too great to be placed on the shoulders of any single institution or family. He said the Centre presents its work at public meetings and remains in contact with civil society organisations and local platforms across the city.

Amaç said they support the “Rabin” campaign launched by the Şiyar Be Platform Against Drugs to address addiction, prostitution and social harm under the slogan “Rabin (Rise Up) for a Life Free from Addiction”, adding that they want to strengthen solidarity with all organisations working to tackle addiction.

“This is not the problem of one person or one family; it is a problem that concerns the entire community. We want society as a whole to be involved in this process,” Amaç said.

Emphasising that tackling addiction requires first building public awareness and then taking collective action, Amaç said they would continue their work with this approach.