ICASA activities
ICASA is involved in a number of different studies. In addition to working on these studies, members are presenting their activities all over the world. Articles in scientific journals are also being published.
The first Annual Meeting of ICASA
The first Annual Meeting of ICASA took place on the 25th of May in Berlin, Germany.
Working groups discussed physical exercise, the IASP study, the CASP study and genetics.
-> read also the blog of Geurt van de Glind
South African Participation in ICASA
From 23rd – 26th November 2010 the Bergen Clinics Foundation organized a conference in Cape Town on theories of addiction treatment. Experts from both Norway and South Africa were present. On Friday the program covered two topics:
1) Trauma and it's relation with Substance Abuse in South Africa
2) ADHD and Substance Abuse
Professor Basil Pillay from the Durban University gave a very important lecture on the first topic.
On the second topic the ICASA Foundation presented on several issues related to ADHD and Substance Abuse.
The conference offered a good opportunity to explore possibilities for South African participation in ICASA. For this reason professor Basil Pillay was asked to co-organize an expert meeting on ADHD and Substance Abuse. He chaired the expert meeting, together with Arvid Skutle, member of the ICASA board.
In preparation for the meeting Arvid Skutle and Geurt van de Glind (director of ICASA) spent two days visiting professionals and addiction treatment centers in the Townships of Cape Town. You can read about their experiences on the blog.
Decisions
1. The South African colleagues considered, that despite the huge problems in their country related to Substance Abuse, collaboration with and participation in ICASA to be a great opportunity.
2. The group of experts currently present does not represent all of the groups and experts that should be part of a South African working group on ADHD and Substance Abuse.
All of the participants think of institutes and experts in their network. Names and contact details will be communicated to both Basil Pillay and Geurt van de Glind.
3. We will document new lists with contact details of the current and future participants in the South African working group.
4. Basil Pillay will stay involved in the working group, and will take care of communicating with the ICASA office.
5. South African experts are invited to join the next ICASA meeting, on 25th May 2010 in Berlin, Germany. Professor Alban Burke (University of Johannesburg) confirms that he will participate.
The meeting will precede the World ADHD Federation Conference held 26th-29th May, also in Berlin.
6. Several groups report that they will undertake actions in order to participate in the International ADHD in Substance use disorders Prevalence (IASP) study:
- In Cape Town, the Sultan Bahu centre will set up this project together with dr. Lize Weich and Srnka Flegar of the Stellenbosch University;
- Professor Alban Burke mentions that he will organize the IASP project with his students in Johannesburg;
- Professor Anneke Meyer sais she will have to report to her board on the results of the meeting. But she has a PhD student who is very interested in the IASP project.
Geurt van de Glind will sent the IASP research protocol to the participants in the expert meeting.
For a first exploration of possible ways for collaboration, this first meeting was very productive. Given the distance between South Africa and the other ICASA participants, there will be costs involved in further organizing participation. One can think of costs for travel of South Africans to join the ICASA meetings, but also costs for travel of ICASA participants to South Africa for training South African staff in using research instruments and helping organizing the project.
Both in South Africa and internationally we will look for the necessary funds.
