Evaluation of the escalation plan for the field of drugs and addiction
This report contains the results from the evaluation of the escalation plan for the field of drugs and addiction (Prop. 15 S (2015–2016)). This plan was adopted by the Storting in April 2016 and remained in force until the end of 2020. In the report, we describe the degree of goal achievement with regard to capacity and competence enhancement in the plan, as well as for each of its five main goals. In addition, we present an assessment of the societal effects of the plan and conclude with a summary of a number of recommendations based on the assessments in the evaluation. An abbreviated version of the report is available, presenting the main findings and recommendations.
Since the evaluation started in 2017, a total of four status reports have been presented, all of which are available at Fafo’s website, www.fafo.no.
The results report is presented after more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, strict infection control rules and repeated periods of lockdown. The pandemic has entailed consequences for the local authorities’ work, including the services related to drugs and addiction, and of course also for people with addiction problems.
Main findings
The Government’s goal to reinforce the efforts in the field of drugs and addiction by NOK 2.4 billion is deemed to have been achieved. The local authorities have enhanced their capacity as well as competence, and many of them have undertaken significant development work. The degree of goal achievement varies with regard to the five main goals defined for the escalation plan. The development has largely progressed in the right direction, but we cannot conclude that any of the goals have been fully achieved. The picture is complex, with large variations between the local authorities. In general, further efforts are required to achieve all the goals in the plan. The results report has therefore been given the title ‘A service area in development’. The activities need to continue in order to ensure that all persons with addiction problems and their families can receive appropriate services.
A qualitative assessment
It is difficult to isolate the effect of efforts made under the escalation plan from those of other programmes and strategies. The plan includes a number of measures that were initiated before the plan was adopted, and a range of measures are also derived from other governmental strategies and plans. The goal of achieving extra allocations of NOK 2.4 billion is the most specific one. The evaluation consists of an assessment of the degree to which the goals for the government resource input and the five main goals have been achieved, and whether the escalation plan has contributed to the outcome.
