CoMPSS

CoMPSS: «Gender-oriented medical and psychosocial services to women with opioid use disorders and female patients of opioid agonist treatment program»

The project is being implemented with the financial assistance of Expertise France and Initiative on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria: France’s indirect contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (“GF”), placed under the oversight of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Partners:

Charitable organization “Ukrainian Network of Women who Use Drugs “VONA”
Frontline AIDS

Implementation period: 01.02.2024 – 31.01.2027

Geography: 5 cities – Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa, Kryvyi Rih

Budget: 1 500 000.00 € /euro

Goal: Reducing barriers to access prevention and medical services for women with opioid use disorders, female patients engaged in opioid agonist therapy (OAT), and victims of violence (of all genders among people who use drugs).

Main tasks:

Psychosocial, health and humanitarian support for female patients engaged in opioid agonist therapy (OAT)
Opening of the Mother and Child rooms based on OAT sites in the 5 cities – Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa
Opening of the Green Room to provide qualified psychological, medical, legal and social support to victims of violence (of all genders among people who use drugs) in Dnipro city.
Implement gender-transformative programs to reduce the impact of patriarchal norms undergirding gender stereotypes and barriers to accessing prevention services.

Contacts:

Project Manager: Olga Dolechek, dolechek@aph.org.ua

Program Specialist: Serhiy Kharitonov, kharitonov@aph.org.ua

Project news

November 27, 2024

An important meeting was held to analyze the provision of comprehensive support for people who use drugs and patients of the OАT program in 2024.

Key topics discussed during the meeting:

The current state of the OАT program in Ukraine and prospects for 2025.
Gender challenges in supporting women who use drugs.
Results of the CoMPSS project.
Advocacy for the rights of OАT patients during martial law.

The speakers represented leading organizations providing comprehensive support to people who use drugs and OАT patients, including: The Public Health Center of Ukraine, Alliance for Public Health, Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA), VOLNa, СО «Hope and Trust», The Probation Center and regional partners.

Purpose of the event: to identify successful practices and develop plans for further improving services, especially for women who have experienced violence.

This stakeholder meeting was conducted within the framework of the CoMPSS Project, implemented by the Alliance for Public Health in cooperation with Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA) funded by L’Initiative and supported by Expertise France.

June 24–26, 2024

A training session for social workers and psychologists was held, focusing on gender-oriented medical and psychosocial support for women with opioid use disorders and survivors of violence.

During the training, participants learned about reproductive health, including diseases, contraception, and age-specific considerations. They also learned more about:

The human papillomavirus (HPV) as a primary cause of malignant diseases in women’s reproductive systems, as well as methods of diagnosis and prevention;
Vaccination recommendations, including eligibility and contraindications.

The skills of self-testing for HIV and syphilis accompanied by a social worker were practiced and knowledge about these infections was improved.

Additionally, participants received information they could use not only in their professional work but also personally, as health is important for everyone.

In-depth insights into these complex topics were provided by gynecologist Olena Kulakovska.

Another crucial focus was mental health. Through practical exercises led by psychologist-trainer Olha Panchuk, participants learned about motivational counseling techniques and approaches for addressing violence and child neglect, including strategies for working with social services and government agencies.

During a session led by psychiatrist Oksana Svoryn, participants gained an understanding of mental disorders related to substance use and received information about the medical treatment of depression.

Project psychologists also benefited from supervision support, discussing complex cases from their practices with colleagues.

The Alliance for Public Health team, together with the CO “Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA)” conducted a strategic session to discuss best practices for working with women and individuals affected by violence. They explored additional services that could attract potential clients to participate in the project.

This activity was implemented within the framework of the “Gender-oriented medical and psychosocial services to women with opioid use disorders and female patients of opioid agonist treatment program” (CoMPSS) Project, funded by L’Initiative and supported by Expertise France.

May 30, 2024

representatives of Expertise France, the CO “Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA)”, and the Alliance for Public Health made a joint visit to the Kyiv City Narcological Clinical Hospital “Sociotherapy,” where a “Mother and Child” room will soon be opened.

The room will be equipped with:

A space for communication and relaxation;
A hygiene area and a play zone for children;
A dedicated area for counseling sessions with a psychologist and social worker.

Clients of the project will have access to comprehensive support, including:

Psychosocial assistance;
Medical assistance (referrals to friendly doctors: gynecologists, psychiatrists, dermatologists, pediatricians);
Counseling of a psychologist;
Drug treatment of depression;
Medical checkup of reproductive women’s health;
Screening and vaccination for the human papillomavirus (HPV), diagnosis of oncological diseases , support taking into account age characteristics (e.g., for women during menopause);
Legal assistance;
Humanitarian support;
HIV and STI testing.

This initiative is being implemented within the framework of the CoMPSS Project – “Gender-oriented medical and psychosocial services to women with opioid use disorders and female patients of opioid agonist treatment program” with funding from Expertise France.

In Kyiv, the project has been made possible thanks to the joint efforts of the Alliance, the CO “Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA)” and the leadership of the medical facility, including Volodymyr Yaryy, head of the outpatient department Hela Kalandiya, and all staff members of the OAT site.

April 17–19, 2024

The Alliance for Public Health and the CO “Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA)” held the inaugural meeting of the CoMPSS Project – “Gender-oriented medical and psychosocial services to women with opioid use disorders and female patients of opioid agonist treatment program”.

During the meeting, the types of services to be provided within the project were identified:

Psychosocial, humanitarian, and legal support;
Referrals to friendly healthcare professionals (gynecologists, dermatologists, psychiatrists, proctologists, endocrinologists, pediatricians);
HPV vaccination, HIV and STI screening, and more.

Additionally, the following will be created and equipped:

5 “Mother and Child” rooms in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Kryvyi Rih;
1 crisis “Green Room” in Dnipro to provide comprehensive support to individuals affected by violence.

During the meeting, activists from the CO “Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA)” received basic knowledge on topics such as “Gender-based violence,” “Post-traumatic stress disorder,” “Stress,” and “Emotional burnout.”

In collaboration with representatives of the Alliance, they discussed strategies for engaging clients in the CoMPSS project, the service provision framework, and the roles of regional team members.

The event was held in partnership with the CO “Ukrainian network of women who use drugs (VONA)” and funded by Expertise France.