1993 A group of specialists (experts in addictology, psychology and toxicology) established the CLINIC “BEMONI”, licensed by Ministry of Health of Georgia. Bemoni Clinic is private institution dedicated to the prevention intervention and treatment of addictive behaviors and disorders. It offers anonymous inpatient and outpatient medical and psychological aid to drug and alcohol abusers. Our treatment and early rehabilitation program includes assessments, extensive counseling, detoxification, individual and family psychotherapy, relapse prevention, continuum care, and education on addiction and recovery. Bemoni Clinic was the first private detoxification clinic in Georgia.
1998 It was felt, however, that drug abuse was not effectively dealt with and that people should be prevented from starting with abuse. Teenagers, children in a transitional period in their lives, were considered especially vulnerable for drug abuse. Therefore, preventive measures were believed to be most effective if they were targeted at youth. The practitioners of clinic Bemoni together with those specialists who share their ideas established the NGO BEMONI PUBLIC UNION (BPU), to deal with drugs prevention activities, which go beyond pure medical service. BPU was the first NGO in Georgia working on addiction issues. BPU received its first grant from the World Bank and implemented the Project entitled “Substance Abuse Prevention among School Children by Training School Medical Personnel”. The first publication- “We Must Learn Living With Drugs” – substance abuse prevention manual for school medical personnel was created and published. BPU started partnership with German CSO”Ost-West Institute Fuer Social Management”. With technical support of German experts BPU developed the first training manual in substance abuse prevention for school psychologists in Georgia.
1999 BPU established The Counseling and Prevention Center for Addiction Problems within the framework of the project “Pilot Model of Prevention of Drug Addiction in Georgia”, with financial support of the European Commission. The Center provides long-term, continuous prevention and intervention services to youth and their caregivers, current drug users and their family members BPU widened the scope of its interests and started implementation of HIV/STIs prevention activities among IDUs their partners and young people. In cooperation with Save the Children Federation, BPU initiated the Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BSS)with biomarker component In cooperation with German experts, BPU started working on codependency issues.
2003 “Face the Reality” – Drug Abuse Prevention Manualfor School Teachers and Psychologists including theoretical basis and youth training instrumentswas developed and printed. The first training methodology for media representatives was formulated and applied; Guideline for Journalists:How to Light the Drug and HIV/AIDSrelated Problems – was developed and printed.
2004 The Information and Training Center was formed within the framework of STI/HIV Prevention Project funded by USAID. The goal of the Center is to promote the development of healthy society. The Center provides information and training services to children and youth; persons who influence children and youth; injecting drug users and their family members; medical health care providers; psychologists; social workers; representatives of organizations (including mass media) working in the field of drug addiction, AIDS, youth issues.
2005 The Expert Centre on HIV/AIDS and Mental Health was set up as part of a project implemented by the Global Initiative on Psychiatry. The goal of the centre is to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia, focusing on interaction of HIV/AIDS and mental health problems. The first Georgian National Anti-Drug Strategy was developed in cooperation with the experts from different governmental agencies and NGOs. The strategy was submitted to the GoG and Georgian Parliament and approved by the Parliament.
2006 Concept of Substance Abuse Prevention among Youth was developed in cooperation with representatives of the relevant Ministries as well as government and non-governmental organizations working in the field.
2007 BPU supported establishment of the Georgian Anti-Drug Media Club.This club systematically organizes trainings and workshops for journalists and editors, meetings of media representatives and experts in addiction field. These types of meetings had a very positive outcome. Representatives from up to 40 printed and electronic media companies joined this club. With the help of Bemoni experts Media Club developed Georgian Anti Drug Media Declaration. The reaction to the media declaration was surprisingly wide and very intensive. More than 100 journalists and representatives from different organizations signed the declaration.
2008 BPU initiated activities in order to promote the realization of human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS and combat HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination in Georgia. Conceptual framework of HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination was created and published. The geographical coverage of the Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BSS)with biomarker components expanded and covers five main cities of Georgia. BPU initiates the Study estimating the Prevalence of Problem drug use in Georgia. This is the first time the multiplier/benchmark method has been applied to estimate an Injection Drug Use (IDU) population in Georgia. The aim of the study is to estimate the prevalence of Injection Drug Use (IDU) in five main cities (Tbilisi, Batumi, Telavi, Gori and Zugdidi) of Georgia and provide IDU prevalence estimate throughout the Country
2009 Under the financial support of the European Commission, in cooperation with AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW, Netherlands), BPU establishment the Resource Center on Substance abuse and HIV prevention in Telavi (BPU Telavi branch).
2010 BPU Telavi branch started providing HIV/Hepatitis B, C preventive services to injecting drug users and sex workers.
2011 BPU established the District Coordination Committee (DCC) in Telavi chaired by the Regional Department of Health, with participation of local government representatives, service providers, community leaders, other donor agencies, local religious and business organizations and engaged local NGOs. BPU Telavi branch organizes at least quarterly meetings of the District Coordination Committee. BPU initiated free online consultation (http://aidsrights.ge) on psychological, legal and health issues for people living with HIV/AIDS; this web-sate is linked to the AIDC Center website.
2012 In cooperation with RTI International, Bemoni experts developed Healthy Lifestyles Curriculum (HLC),which includes 20 lessons (10 for biology teachers, 10 for sports teachers) and a teaching manual to assist teachers in delivering lessons on these topics to ninth and tenth grade students, which was piloted, evaluated and approved by the Ministry of Education and Science. In cooperation with RTI International, Bemoni experts developed a new Manual for media representatives: “Reporting on substance abuse and HIV issues”.
2014 With the technical support of UNICEF, BPU adapted and put into practice ICATT (Integrated computed based training tool) – an innovative software application to support the implementation of the UNICEF strategy on the HIV prevention among MARA and vulnerable youth. The tool provides the possibility to adapt the generic guidelines at national levels, and to develop ICATT-based training courses that fit into various training approaches.