New Project for 12,000 Treated Addicts
The Government's Committee has adopted a social reintegration project that for the first time includes behavioral addictions, aiming to facilitate employment and return to the community.
The Government's Committee has adopted a social reintegration project that for the first time includes behavioral addictions, aiming to facilitate employment and return to the community.
Around 12,000 people in Croatia undergo treatment each year for issues related to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and video gaming. The social reintegration project adopted by the Government's Committee on Addictions and Behavioral Addictions in late July 2026 is expected to ease their access to education, employment, and other key forms of support after completing therapy.
The novelty is that the program is, for the first time, extended to individuals treated for alcohol, gambling, and video game addiction, reflecting a modern understanding of this issue. Experts warn that recovery does not end with cessation of substance use; rather, unemployment, interrupted schooling, and stigma are often the biggest obstacles to returning to a normal life.
The Croatian Institute of Public Health (CIPH) emphasizes that social reintegration is a crucial part of recovery. The new national framework relies on the concept of "recovery capital," which encompasses personal, family, and social resources necessary for maintaining long-term abstinence and a quality life.
The project is based on four areas: education, employment, housing, and psychosocial support. Beneficiaries will be enabled to complete primary or secondary education and undergo retraining. The Croatian Employment Service will provide vocational guidance to select a profession suited to the individual's abilities and labor market needs.
Additionally, workshops for active job seeking and career development will be organized, and education will be financed through a voucher system. To prevent individuals from "falling through the cracks" between different institutions after treatment, special coordinators will be appointed in the health, social, and employment systems to accompany them through all stages.
The project also includes special programs for women, minors, and other vulnerable groups, as well as the removal of certain administrative barriers. Implementation success will be monitored through internal and external evaluations, analyzing the number of enrolled beneficiaries, their employment, and treatment continuity.
The program builds on the resocialization system that has existed in Croatia since 2007. According to CIPH data, by the end of 2025, 1,346 individuals had undergone vocational guidance and work ability assessments. Of these, 437 were included in educational programs, and 1,224 exercised their right to schooling funded by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth. During the same period, 1,235 people found employment.
More than 15,000 beneficiaries used various forms of psychosocial support provided by civil society organizations. In 2025, approximately 540,000 euros were allocated for social reintegration programs, a 20 percent increase compared to the previous year.
The goal is to reduce stigmatization and social exclusion and strengthen the independence of individuals in recovery, ensuring their return to the community is lasting, not merely a formal exit from the treatment system.
