Taiwan Association of Drug Treatment Policy

Secretary-General Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes visited the Department of Substance Abuse Control and Prevention, Kaohsiung City Government (the Center), accompanied by TADTP Secretary-General Huang Di-Wei, and head counselors Prosecutor Lin, Ta, and Mr. Andrew Malanga. The delegation was welcomed by the Chief Secretary Chang, Chiu-Wen, who led the briefing and exchange.

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Kaohsiung’s Center is the only first-tier local government agency in Taiwan dedicated exclusively to drug prevention. Chief Secretary Chang presented an overview of the Center’s responsibilities, including citywide policy development, cross-departmental coordination, and integration of municipal resources. She emphasized the Center’s close collaboration with the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors’ Office, Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, and other medical institutions, noting its central role in counseling, rehabilitation, and community reintegration for individuals with substance-use disorders.

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Chief Secretary Chang also detailed the Center’s efforts to enhance precision and efficiency in drug prevention. These include developing an intelligent drug-prevention data system to strengthen monitoring and analysis, and adopting AI-powered tools to support case managers and counselors in follow-up services. The Center has additionally implemented an incentive-based points card system to encourage self-management among individuals receiving treatment.

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Dr. Reyes commended the Center’s innovative use of AI in substance-use management and noted that artificial intelligence is likely to play an increasingly significant role in prevention and treatment fields across the region.