ICHC has made significant progress was made this year in training. We are looking to 2009 to see a major expansion of our efforts. Below are a few of the exciting activities ICHC will be involved in:

• Recovery Month: March will be Recovery Month when we will have 20-25 people in recovery come to China to share their experience, strength and hope with people in China. Media coverage will be arranged. We're seeking people with solid recovery, males and females, with AA/NA, and AlAnon experience, from all walks of life, who wish to share their stories of hope. We're looking for corporate executives, entertainers, politicians, and anyone else who has a passion for recovery. If there are individuals you can suggest who might be interested, please contact Barbara. We will open the training in 2009 to 20-30 people from the U.S. and other countries who wish to attend as participants. This will provide them excellent training, CEUs, world class trainers, and a chance to experience China. Sightseeing tours will be arranged. This will also enrich the training environment for the Chinese by having people from other nations represented.

• Two-week Core training program: We will have a two-week Core training program based on a post graduate curriculum we're developing and seek to have 4-5 trainers each of the 2 weeks. If you are interested in participating or have people to suggest, please contact Barbara.

• One-week training program: ICHC will hold a one-week Core training program in either Shanghai, Changsha and/or Kunming in 2009, exact dates TBD.

• Advanced Training in Beijing: March 23-27, Bill Mock and Claudia Blackburn will teach an advanced class on family therapy and Stephen Andrew will teach an advanced class on Motivational Interviewing.

• Training on Core Topics in Beijing & Shanghai: March 9-27, ICHC will host three weeks of training on core topics will be provided in Beijing and Shanghai, with trainers such as David Mee-Lee, Bill Mock, Stephen Andrew, David Rosenker, Janina Kean, Claudia Blackburn, Mark Publicker, and David Powell, among others. Topics will include treating co-occurring disorders, nicotine cessation programs, Motivational Interviewing, family therapy, psychopharmacology, etc. A limited number of slots are open to Americans to attend this training.  This is an opportunity to receive high quality training and to sightsee China (the Great Wall, Tien Au Mien Square, the Forbidden City, Olympic Park, and other sites). Individuals can come for 1, 2, or 3 weeks, from March 9-27.

• World Congress on Psychotherapy: David will be in China in October speaking at the World Congress on Psychotherapy, giving a keynote address introducing the initiation of the International Center for Addiction Studies (ICAS), and we hopefully will have a confirmed curriculum for 2009 upon his return.

• Substance Abuse Treatment Center in Turkey: ICHC is contracted to develop the first adolescent substance abuse treatment program in Turkey. Substance Abuse Treatment Center in Turkey: ICHC is contracted to develop the first adolescent substance abuse treatment program in Turkey. A public-private partnership has been established between the municipality of Gaziantep in southern Turkey nearby the border with Syria and Turkish philanthropic donors to develop a 60 to 100 bed facility for boys with substance abuse problems in the outskirts of Gaziantep. The physical facility was build with private donations and staffed by contracted personnel paid for by the municipality. Dr. Powell and a team of clinicians and trainers from the United States and Asia will spend two years in the development of the treatment program, renovation of the facility to accommodate the treatment population, recruitment and hiring of personnel, training of all staff and the overseeing of the implementation and operation of the program. Dr. Powell will serve on the leadership advisory board with the Mayor of Gaziantep, representatives from the local university, corporate leaders and other key personnel. The Center will open its doors to patients in January 2009. The hope is that the program can be replicated as a model program throughout Turkey and Europe. Dr. Powell will spend two weeks every other month from June 2008 to May 2010 in Gaziantep and Istanbul.

None of these activities would be possible without support from dedicated corporate sponsors, philanthropists and individuals throughout the world that believe in the mission and vision of ICHC. We encourage you to share the vision and learn more about how you can support ICHC and expand our activities into the future.