“Sankalpa”, Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts of OLS first received funding from the Government of India in 1992-1993 under the Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse of the Ministry of Social Justice and Observation of World Environment Day Staff exposure visit to Unayan for observation of women’s cooperative 54 Empowerment, Govt. of India. Sankalpa embodies and follows the same spirit and sense of service that is readily evident in the innovative systems of education, therapy, and other services provided to children with cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities by OLS.
Sankalpa utilizes the services of a doctor, psychologist, pharmacist, two peer counselors, a yoga therapist, and support staff to help `users’ get reintegrated into society as productive and useful citizens. Realizing that there is more to drug treatment than just abstaining from drugs, “Sankalpa” combines different therapies including group therapy, individual counseling, sharing sessions, life skill training, vocational exposure and counseling, referral services, aftercare and drop-in facilities, and exposure to self-help groups and 12 step programs.
A sense of togetherness is something that is fostered at OLS and Sankalpa seeks to work towards building this spirit, firmly believing that recovery, as a community effort is easier rather than done in an isolated manner. Festivals are celebrated with clients and ex-clients at the Centre. So are acknowledgments of ‘sober or clean time’. Milestones in recovery such as six, or nine months, one year, and multiples of years are events that warrant celebrations – sometimes small and sometimes not so small. Similarly, events such as family weddings of ex-clients and birthdays, etc. provide wonderful opportunities to celebrate life and to see life from a different perspective.